We Were Merely Freshmen
by DarkElements10
Summary: Before Jason's death, Riverdale was the town with pep. As Cheryl's best friend, Gabby Rush has to keep up appearances. She didn't want people to know she was being tutored by Archie and liked him. She didn't want anyone to know she had problems at home that would eventually entangle her with the darkness within the town. Who knew freshman year could be so complicated? [Pre Series]
1. Chapter 1

**We Were Merely Freshmen**

 **By: Riley**

 **Summary** **–** Before Jason's death, before the Black Hood, before the Northside and Southside went to war, Riverdale was the town with pep. And as Cheryl's best friend with her spot at the top of the social food chain, Gabriella Rush had to be like everyone else and keep up appearances. She didn't want anyone to know she was being tutored by Archie Andrews and that she really liked him. She didn't want anyone to know she had problems at home that would eventually entangle her with the Lodges, with her best friend's murder, and leave her smack in the middle of the war. Who knew freshman year could be so complicated? Riverdale, before it became the town that dreaded sundown, was a wholesome town with pep and its own fair share of drama. **-Pre-Series-**.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

* * *

"So, you have to tell me."

"I have to tell you what?"

Gabriella 'Gabby' Rush looked at Cheryl with raised eyebrows, tearing her gaze away from her reflection in her compact mirror. Flawless brown skin, dark hair, with dark eyes to match and a brilliant white smile that off-set her skin and let her get anything she wanted. She closed her compact with a snap after touching up her lip-gloss, then glanced down at her books. Weren't they, just a minute ago, working on their history project? What in the world did she need to tell Cheryl about Ulysses S. Grant that she couldn't already figure out from her own textbook? Not that it'd help much, Cheryl cared about schoolwork about as much as she cared about…anything that wasn't Cheryl Blossom. And to Cheryl Blossom, nothing was more important than Cheryl Blossom.

Except her of course. BFFs always cared about each other more than anything in life. Even Jason said he wondered if she and Cheryl were twins rather than him and Cheryl. One look at the two of them and they'd know it certainly wasn't true. Other than the obvious differences in skin tone, Gabby at least liked to think she was a little more grounded. In 'the town with Pep' Cheryl was known as royalty and Gabby was known as her best friend, sidekick. It wasn't a bad gig, since Cheryl had practically adopted her since she'd moved to Riverdale.

Her mother, Sergeant Julia Rush, had been stationed in Riverdale the last time she'd come back from her deployment in Afghanistan. It should've been her last time on tour, before tensions rose and suddenly she was off again. If it weren't for Cheryl and Jason, Gabby realized, she'd probably had broken down ages ago.

"Who's escorting you to the dance?" Cheryl asked. Oh, so _that's_ what she was after. Cheryl cupped her chin in her hands, leaning across the table towards her best friend. "We need to have the best dates." Gabby gaped at her. "Why are you looking at me like that? Other than my fabulous new outfit that you haven't said anything about." Cheryl threw her arms in the air, showing off her sweater, high-waisted skirt, and matching stockings.

Gabby lifted her eyebrows and mimicking Cheryl's previous stance, resting her chin in her hands. "Mm. Haven't you had that for a while?"

"'I love that you're so aware of my closet, but this is the official Cheryl Blossom shade of red. No one else has this set, I made sure of it. And don't change the subject."

"Cherry," Gabby fitted Cheryl with her special nickname for her. She remembered when Jason tried to call his sister that and nearly got slapped for it. "Homecoming is months away."

Cheryl placed a hand to her chest. Her mascara-heavy lashes shifted upwards, eyes widening ins hock. " _Two_ months! And that's not nearly enough time to get everything together. For our first prom, we need to make a statement. And the statement is made at homecoming, everyone knows that."

"Prom?!" Gabby repeated. She stared at Cheryl as if she grew a second heard. Or a triplet. Knowing how crazy the Blossoms were, whichever came first. "Cherry, it's _September!"_ It was official. Cheryl Blossom, Cheryl Bombshell, Cherry Blossom, Gabby's best friend, had finally cracked.

It was a long time coming, Gabby supposed. Cheryl's family, by Gabby's own testimony, were nuts with Cheryl and Jason the sanest of them all. And if that was sane, Gabby didn't want to know what _insane_ was.

 _"_ Yes, the month signifying change, the growth of a new harvest and the maple syrup from the Blossom family flowing through the veins of Riverdale." Cheryl placed a hand to her chest, taking the moment to blink her eyes closed as if in rapture. Talking about herself was always one of her favorite things. "And as the new captain of the River Vixens, I have to make sure I have the best piece of mindless man candy on my arm. We have a new crop of boys this year."

Gabby rolled her eyes as soon as Cheryl not-so-subtly-mentioned her placement at the head of the River Vixens. It was known by everyone with ears that Cheryl had begged Gabby to join the Vixens since they started Middle School. They had to eat, sleep, and breathe Vixens while Gabby wanted nothing more than to eat, sleep, and slap Cheryl in the face every time she _brought up_ the Vixens.

Cheryl waved her hand, waving away Gabby's indifference about the school's cheerleading team. Gabby never wanted to be a part of the River Vixens. She had an athletic streak-her mother called it an aggressive streak-that only was remedied by smacking a ball and not smacking another girl's face. She preferred to be on the volleyball team. As girly as Gabby could be—she couldn't beat a good sale in the nearby Metropolitan city-volleyball was one of the few things that kept her grounded. Not much felt better to her than getting that perfect spike that shot the Riverdale Bulldogs to the top. Well, a good dress for homecoming could do it, too. That and a good date. Both of which she didn't currently have.

"It's up to us to take our pick of the litter, you can even ask Jay-Jay if you like." She shrugged and turned back to flipping through the fashion magazine she didn't bother to hide in her textbook. "He's plenty suitable."

"'I'm not asking Jay to go with me as my date." Gabby's nose wrinkled. "He's like, my brother. That'd be, like, dating _you_."

"And I'm a catch," Cheryl pointed out.

Gabby laughed.

Cheryl sat up straight, moving her long red hair behind her shoulders and laced her fingers together, hands resting atop a folded sheet of paper she produced from somewhere. Cheryl always had a trick up her sleeve. Honestly, it was something Gabby loved about her. Cheryl Blossom was never boring. "Just like cupid wrangling true love together with his arrows, I've compiled a list of suitable dates that we need to go through."

Gabby snorted, grinned. "Can you ever be normal?"

Cheryl ignored her. "I've put height and weight into consideration to us and each other–"

"–Did you mark down whether they're friends, too?" Gabby teased. "And their hair color? Eye color? Future aspirations? Trace their family lineage back to the Stone Age? Determine if we're going to take our last names or keep theirs? Sperm count? You know,"–Gabby leaned in and whispered conspiratorially–"sperm count is really important."

Cheryl's eyebrows came together as she tilted her head. Not taking her eyes off her best friend, she unfolded the sheet of paper, smoothed it with her hands. Finally, her eyes flickered over everything listed on the sheet. "Of course! I have to take all of it into consideration."

Unfazed, Gabby laughed again. Cheryl's antics would never get old. No matter what it was, it didn't take long for Cheryl to get an idea and for Gabby to go along with it simply because, well, because shew as her sister from another mister. Her ride or die. Her everything. They'd done a blood pact to prove it. _Even if I had to talk Cheryl into that one,_ Gabby thought, finding it ironic considering Cheryl's favorite–and signature–color was the same crimson shade.

Gabby watched Cheryl push the list into the center of their table, waving away the prying eyes of the rest of the River Vixens who sat at their table and started to explain the pros and cons of each of the boys on their list. As she did so, Gabby lifted her chin and looked around the library.

The rest of their classmates were busy with their work; Reggie, Moose, and Midge sat at their own table, laughing quietly while Reggie and Moose played paper football. Since joining the team, the two ate, slept, and breathed football. Midge, Moose's girlfriend since forever, was by Moose's side, cheering him on as she always did. She was so sweet, greeting everyone with a smile and a helping hand ready. Kevin Keller sat a table away, taking obvious peeks over the top of his textbook while trying to appear inconspicuous.

Gabby's lips curled. When Kevin finally came out as gay she didn't know how anyone else couldn't see it and were surprised. Kevin was as out and proud as a flashlight since they were in elementary school. She watched Kevin smile to himself as the rest of the football team around Reggie and Moose slowly chanted louder and louder for their teammates to win. Dilton Doiley shot Moose a disapproving glance over the top of his textbook, making Moose sheepishly grin in response.

"Just one more point and I'll win, Little Buddy," Moose reassured Dilton. "Then we can get back to work."

"Like that'll help," Josie McCoy murmured form the table on their other side. She rested her cheek in her palm, staring down at her notebook. From where Gabby sat, she could see her writing bits of lyrics—or poems—and song notes in the margins. Around her, Valerie and Melody did the same. "Can't break through a thick skull."

"That's what the helmet's for," Reggie said. "Got to protect the important equipment."

"I thought that's what the cup was for," Moose said.

The football team broke out into raucous laughter that not even the Pussycats could refrain from joining in. Dilton huffed and buried his head in his book. Far enough so that his bespectacled eyes peeked out over the top, glancing longingly across the library towards another table. The only table that was the furthest away from the rest of the class.

Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, and Jughead Jones sat there, working quietly all the while Miss. Grundy oversaw all the students from the circulation desk. Every now and then Miss. Grundy would shush them, but wouldn't get too involved. She was a young teacher, who Gabby and Cheryl called "Ms. Four-Eyes" and "Humpty Grundy" not so secretly, and was as much of a pushover as she could be stern when her buttons were pushed too far.

Clearly, Miss. Grundy was in a good mood that day as no matter the raucous the students caused, she didn't do much more than clear her throat. At least, until Moose's cup comment and the ensuing laughter. While Betty and Jughead both rolled their eyes, Archie glanced over towards the football team, almost with a sense of longing.

It had been a surprise when Archie Andrews showed enough prowess to join the football team. But, as Gabby noted, he was _not_ the football type. He wasn't fat, she thought snottily, but certainly nothing to look at. Enough that she dubbed him 'Aren't Ya Bald' off his true first name. And he was too nice for his own good. Didn't he that being a bit of a dick was the way to go? Instead of acting like you sucked one? One thing she could say for sure, of the football games she'd been to, he did a good job of warming the bench for everyone.

Betty. Of course, perfect Betty Cooper would have issues with the noise in the library. If she couldn't study, couldn't get good grades, couldn't be perfect in every way shape or from from the tips of her shoes to the tips of her annoying ponytail, then she couldn't be Betty Cooper. Gabby hated being around her and if it weren't for Jason dating Polly, Gabby would've avoided Betty all together. Jughead wasn't much better, with his mind on everything Riverdale lacked and he thought he was above, Gabby didn't have much feeling for him at all. As far as she was concerned, Jughead wasn't there. Just a dark cloud that continued to hover around Archie and Betty and make snide comments when he felt the need.

"Okay, okay, that's enough." Miss. Grundy got up from the circulation desk and walked to Reggie and Moose. She rested her hands on their shoulders, gently moving her fingers front and back. She smiled down at the two. "Let's settle down and get back to work, the period's almost over."

"What about _your_ period, Ms. Grundy?" Gabby called over. She caught Cheryl's eye, who smiled her encouragement. "Or have you hit menopause yet? You must be, what, pushing forty?" She, Cheryl, and the River Vixens all burst out laughing.

Miss. Grundy merely pushed her glasses up her nose and brought her fingers to her lips. Gabby rolled her eyes, shaking her head at Cheryl. Miss. Grundy wasn't fazed by her comments. Boo. That was no fun. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day. She jumped up along with the others, gathering her discarded books and shoved them into her large cross-body bag that doubled as her purse.

"Ugh, I can't wait to get home and get away from these _peasants_ ," Cheryl commented, barking the last word towards Jughead, who crossed in front of her. Jughead merely smirked at her, shaking his head as he moved to blend into the crowd of Riverdale High, all eager to start the weekend. "I tried to get Mommy and Daddy to let me go to New York for school, but they said it wouldn't be good for their image. Like Riverdale is the pinnacle of reputations."

Gabby looped her arm through Cheryl's and they walked through the halls, their high heels click-clacking as they went. "I thought you were coming to my house."

"I am." Cheryl looked at Gabby in surprise. "Mi Case es Su Casa or whatever it is." She waved her hand. "I don't speak Spanish, all I know is Pina Collada." She nudged Gabby's arm. "Like the ones we had in Cabo this summer."

And what a summer it was. Nothing but surf, sun, sand, and the amazingly cute boys they hung out with all day every day. It was a good distraction from real life that was slowly falling apart. But the last thing Gabby wanted to talk about was missing her mother so much.

Gabby and Cheryl walked outside of Riverdale High in time to find the Blossom's luxury car pulling up to the curb. Without Jason in sight—he had football practice, Cheryl remembered—the girls had the backseat to themselves and talked and laughed the entire way back to Gabby's house. Gabby lead the way inside, haphazardly kicking her shoes off by the door.

"Daddy?" She called. A chill went up her spine, hearing her voice echo back to her. A sure sign the house was empty. No dad and certainly no mom. Still, Gabby tried again. "I'm home!"

Gabby walked into the kitchen, her eyes immediately landing on a post-it note that sat on the otherwise pristine cabinet doors. A sigh escaped her lips and she marched over to grab it. Apathy spread over her face as clear as the three bullet pointed messages: _Working late, don't wait up. We need to talk about your report card. Mom says she'll call soon._

He was always working late.

Since when was he around enough to care about her grades?

When was the last time her mom said she'd call? Right, a few weeks ago. She said she'd video call, too. But internet was spotty in Kabul and the call continued to drop reminding her that Afghanistan certainly was another world away.

Gabby ran a hand through her long hair. Fourteen years old and she was the loneliest person she ever knew.

"Do you want to go to my house instead?" Cheryl asked quietly, taking Gabby's hand and holding it firmly in hers. A steady force in the storm that brew around her. Gabby felt a swell of pride for her best friend, who always knew when to be supportive. "We could hang out with Jason."

"No." Gabby hitched her purse up her shoulder. "Let's just go to my room." Without a backwards glance, Gabby ripped the Post-It note from the cabinet and tossed it to the floor. She squeezed Cheryl's hand, pulling her along behind her.

* * *

 **A/N:** This story isn't meant to be very long. Just a way to give some back story that'd be mentioned in my upcoming fic _The War At Home._ That'll be posted after this is there's much interest. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the start, let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

* * *

When Gabby woke up the next morning, Cheryl was curled by her side. Painfully resting on Gabby's arm, forcing pins and needles up to her elbow. Cheryl, who studied every morsel and crumb that passed her lips, was heavier than she looked. Her red hair fanned over her pillow in a scarlet arch. Not quite a scarlet letter, but close. A halo that, for the moment in time, made Cheryl look like an angel, though she was certainly anything but. Not entirely devilish, but not so sweet, either.

Nevertheless, Gabby felt nothing but love for her best friend. There weren't many other people in the world that would stay with her all night when she'd have the entire house to herself. A daily occurrence for anyone who knew the life she led outside of school. House parties became nothing short of boring and beyond lame since eighth grade. How many times could she buy enough beer to get even the most hardened drunkard to sprint around the neighborhood completely naked? Reggie didn't seem to get tired of it—he always loved to show off his body, especially since having lost his baby fat when joining the football team. How many times could she clean up the leftover vomit, cigarette butts, and condom wrappers that littered the floors of her house before becoming simply tired of it?

About twenty-five, if her calculation was correct. (Despite what others thought of her, she really was highly skilled in mathematics. Cheryl, however, couldn't stand her getting good grades over her, Gabby kept that it quiet). That was how many dresses she'd bought for each party. How many shopping trips she went on to boost her spirits after coming home to an empty house time after time after time. She learned that lesson the hard way; when, one weekend, she didn't want to throw a party. But there was Reggie, Moose, Midge, and the River Vixens with as much party favors as her wide eyes could handle. She tried to talk them out of it, but they barged their way in, ignoring all her pleads and attempts to wanting to be alone and wallow in her own pity all before Cheryl, with a few unminced words, managed to get them to leave before spending the night with her.

Gabby knew it was because Cheryl was just as lonely as she was. Misery loved company and they knew how to be miserable together. But that morning, Gabby was as far from miserable as she could be. She was content, maybe even a little apathetic as she flipped back her covers, made sure Cheryl was tucked in and still sleeping before going down to the kitchen.

She wasn't surprised to hear the cacophonous sounds of her father's snoring the moment she reached the bottom of the stairs. Wasn't surprised to find him lying in his armchair in front of the flat screen TV with the sound turned down. Wasn't surprised to see a few empty beers scattered long the floor by the chair, one upended to dribble the pale amber liquid into the carpet. That she'd be cleaning, of course.

Gabby walked to her father and slapped the remote into her palm. The sting, at least, made her feel something. Gabby turned off the TV, gathered the beer bottles to recycle, then returned to her father, tucking him further into his armchair as she'd done with Cheryl earlier that morning. Head turned to the side, a five o'clock shadow covering his chin, her father looked as handsome to her as ever. And yet, looked nothing more than a stranger—a roommate she'd lived with for the past fourteen years.

She went into the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee before quietly making her way back to her room. Cheryl was only just starting to wake up when Gabby returned, her feet sinking into her plus carpet. In the time it took for her to cross her expansive bedroom, Cheryl sat up, swung her hair out of her face like a mermaid, and lovingly ran her fingers through it before stretching noisly.

"Okay, Ariel," Gabby said. She curled up in her desk chair, being careful not to spill any coffee. Ralph Lauren should never be stained. "When was the last time you used your dinglehopper?"

Cheryl's lips—pale pink with the lack of her 'Cheryl Bombshell' lipstick—stretched into a wide smile. "I love it when you talk dirty to me in the morning." She rolled her eyes. "Much better than any of those yutz at school could do."

Gabby took a sip of coffee and lifted her chin. "Speaking of, how was your date with Reggie?"

"Please. You know I don't date. No one's good enough for me."

"No one's good enough for Jason, either."

Cheryl rolled her eyes again. "In Jay's eyes, no one's every going to be good enough for me. Which is sweet, of course, my brother loves me. He wants nothing but the best for me and I certainly deserve the best." She held out her hands, wiggled her fingers. "Now, gimmie."

"Say please." Gabby held her coffee further away. Though, with the size of her bedroom, the expansive floor between them couldn't be any further. Cheryl gave her a 'oh please' look, dropping her hands. "There's not a lot you'd do, but I know you'd do it for me." She wiggled her coffee back and forth. "I mean, you _do_ love me, right?"

Cheryl's face then turned serious. And her words, though campy, were heartfelt. "I love you with the white-hot burning intensity of a thousand suns." Gabby smiled and stood up and went to Cheryl, giving her the coffee.

"I love you, too," Gabby replied and laughed when Cheryl made a show of sticking out her tongue, running it along the rim to claim the drink as her own. "All you had to do was ask."

"Asking is just short of begging and begging is not something us Blossoms do." Cheryl's eyes became distant, emphasized as she covered the lower half of her face, sipping at the coffee. Her hands trembled slightly, remembering the many times Penelope Blossom shoved the thought into Cheryl's and Jason's heads while simultaneously grooming Cheryl to be her callous mini-me. That they were better than anyone and everyone and asked for nothing.

They took.

"Musn't disappoint mother than I already do," Cheryl said, lowering the cup once more.

Gabby shook her head. "Hate to tell you, Cherry, but your mom sucks."

"Yes, well," Cheryl trailed off. Gabby knew what she was about to say. 'At least I have a mother'. A fair statement for an unfair circumstance. For a moment, Gabby felt a twinge of sadness flutter through her stomach. She only let the moment linger for that moment. Didn't feel any anger towards Cheryl's callous non-statement. Didn't have to. She'd become numb to it. Cheryl said it often enough when Gabby started to fell depressed or down about her mother's consistent deployments.

Cheryl hated war. The Blossoms never saw a point in it, Cheryl explained. The Blossoms never found anything interesting that didn't immediately include them, Gabby said in response. And yet, Gabby agreed. She hated war simply because it took her mother and father away. The moment her mother left, her father had gone with her. Present in body, but gone in mind and spirit. Even when her mother was back, it took ages for her father to turn back to his normal, loving self. It'd always comes too late.

And Gabby hated her mother for it. Hated that she always had to be strong, had to look out for her father, had to bet he 'brave little soldier I know you can be' while she was gone. When would she stick around long enough to know that what she was doing for their country, for their family, was tearing them apart more than it was bringing them close. Cheryl and Jason were her family now and that was all she needed.

Wordlessly, Gabby leaned over and rested her head on Cheryl's shoulder. Cheryl brought up her arm and wrapped it around Gabby's shoulders, stroked her fingers over Gabby's cheek. In silence, the two mourned their family lives, as they were to do when the conversation arose. Finally, Cheryl put the cup aside and clapped her hands together.

"Come, come! We must decide what we're going to delegate to the broke hearts of our loyal subjects with when it's our time to shine at school." Cheryl flittered her fingers towards Gabby's closet. "Come show me your new stash. Just because I had to miss the sales because of mother's insistence I attend her social gathering doesn't mean I have to be left out."

"You're lucky we're the same size, Cherry." Gabby got out of bed to do as she was told. Already feeling a hundred times better. She even giggled at Cheryl's passing comment of, "With that ass, I don't think so."

Cheryl vetoed nearly everything Gabby chose for the day, forcing her to change about twenty times before finally stating her attire of a gray blazer, black tie, white blouse—one as thin as tissue paper but costing about $500—pink pencil skirt, white thigh-highs and black boots were the way to go. And, of course Cheryl had to one-up her and take the most expensive outfit Gabby owned and hadn't had a chance to wear.

"You can't expect me to relinquish my name as 'best dressed' do you?" Cheryl asked, noticing Gabby's frustrated glance. She flipped open her purse, perused for her lipstick, and leaned into her mirror to carefully apply it with deliberately slow movements. She ran her index finger along the side of her mouth and smiled. "I've held onto that title for three years and I certainly intend to make it a fourth. That's something even my mother couldn't do." She snapped her purse shut and held out her arm. "Now, treat me to breakfast and we'll meet up with the girls before school."

Gabby sighed. She shook her head, looking over the photos that covered the wall above her desk. Photos of herself, Jason, and Cheryl that covered the top half. Of herself, Cherly, Josie, the pussycats, and Midge in the others. Moose and Reggie were in some. Even Dilton Doiley—or Dillhole Doiley as she called him—were in some of them. More than enough people she actually liked and somehow, Cheryl topped them all.

Gabby took Cheryl's outstretched hand, then grabbed her purse and phone with the other. The two left her bedroom and went to the kitchen. As Cheryl called Jason to pick them up—having to promise he'd have the car for himself, his friends, and his activities for a solid week to change his own plans—Gabby went through the motions as she did every morning.

She set up the coffee maker to start another pot, set it to brew it the exact moment her father awoke in the middle of the day, rinsed out the bottles he'd finished the night before, carefully hid away any potential hazards—how silly, to hide knives from parents when, for the first few years of life, parents hid any dangers from their children—and looked over the note he left her.

 _Working late, don't wait up. We need to talk about your report card. Mom says she'll call soon._

Gabby thought for a moment, tapping her pen against her chin, then grabbed a post-it-note from the stack beside his. She scribbled quickly, signing her name haphazardly at the bottom.

 _Went to school. My grades are fine. Ok. -Gabriella._

Like he didn't know her name. Gabby capped her pen and put it back in its rightful place, everything had its place. She turned back to Cheryl, who continued to wait patiently, scooped a camera off the counter, and walked outside to the car that waited for her.

Jason barely looked away from his phone, where his thumb rapidly moved over the face to type out a text, and said, "You're late," before sliding down the sunglasses that rested over his eyes. He looked past Gabby to his twin sister and shook his head. Almost mockingly. "You know mother's not going to like getting another call from the school."

"One more call isn't going to kill her, Jay-Jay." Cheryl slid into the seat that faced her brother. She crossed her leg at the knee, carefully grabbing her own sunglasses to slid over her eyes. "And you know mother, she loves to talk. Why not let her talk about her favorite subject?"

Jason smirked, the corner of his mouth turning up in a way that made all the girls in school swoon. Gabby rolled her eyes, sliding in next to Jason, closing the door behind her. The car started up as soon as the door was shut, pointing towards Riverdale high. "I thought _I_ was her favorite subject."

"You may be the favorite child, but I'm the one who's talked about most."

"Doesn't that mean something to you?"

"Don't you get it, Jay?" Gabby placed her hand on Jason's shoulder, squeezed tightly. He turned his smirk to her. "As long as someone's talking about Cheryl, then Cheryl's the one who ends up happy. And nothing is more important than Cheryl's happiness."

"Mm." Jason pressed his lips together. "Do you plan on getting that on a sampler?"

"Depends." Gabby smiled. "How much will you charge me for it?"

"Enough so that it never sees the light of day." Jason laughed. He shifted his eyes back to Cheryl. "We wouldn't want her head to get any bigger than it already is."

"Mm." Cheryl mimicked Jason, pressing her lips together. Her eyes flickered downward. "At least _something's_ big." Affronted, Jason shot Cheryl a nasty glare. Undeterred, Cheryl flicked her gleaming red hair over her shoulder and said, "Yes, that I'm the one who'll be remembered. And when you inevitably turn old and gray, I'll be the one who will carry on the Blossom name by my social skills and leadership. And what'll you have?" Cheryl tilted her head. "Football awards, accolades, a bad back, a beer belly, and Polly Cooper by your side."

"No doubt a fat whore who tried to relive her cheerleading days and living off your money by then," Gabby added. Her dimples appeared in her cheeks with the wicked smile she shared with Cheryl.

Jason's smirk immediately faded. His eyes turned a nasty shade of navy, a stark difference than the brilliant blue that typically showed with his jovial personality. Being the big man on campus wasn't a trait lost on him for his friendly attitude to everyone he spoke to. But that was gone, replaced by unbridled fury.

"Don't talk about her like that," Jason snapped. He leaned forward and looked at Cheryl so coldly that her breath became caught in her throat. Gabby's eyes widened, locked with Cheryl's. One step too far. "I don't care what you do, Cheryl, or what sort of games you want to play, but don't you dare fucking talk about her like that."

Cheryl held up her hands. A small smile was on her face. "I didn't say anything, Jay-Jay." She pointed a perfectly manicured finger toward Gabby. " _Gabs_ did."

"Please." Obviously, Jason liked to use Cheryl's word as much as Cheryl did. "Everyone knows she's just your puppy and follows everything you do. Everything always comes back to you. And some day, you're not going to be able to handle it."

He kicked the door open as the Blossom's driver arrived at school. He stormed out, pulling his crossbody bag over his shoulder as he did so. Cheryl pouted, stepping out the car after her brother. "He's mad at me." She pouted. "Jason's never mad at me." Cheryl glared at Gabby over her shoulder. "Why'd you have to talk about Polly like that? You know how he gets about her."

Gabby's eyebrows rose. She started to defend herself, but Cheryl walked away from her without a backwards glance. Everyone in front of her leapt out of the way as she strode to the building. With a roll of her eyes, Gabby shook her head. Leave it to Cheryl to be so dramatic about things. It wouldn't take too long for her to come back as if something happened. Just like always.

Instead of dwelling over it, Gabby, instead, pulled out her camera. Things always were much clearer when she looked through the lens. She snapped a quick photo of Jason and Cheryl; twins in all manner of the word storming apart from each other, rather than being a unified front.

Turning her camera around the front of Riverdale High, Gabby caught sight of her other classmates. Archie and Betty walking to school as they always did with Jughead ambling at a much slower pace behind them, staring at the ground as he went. Midge talking a mile a minute with Josie and the rest of the pussycats. The football team gathered together, clapping each other on the back and laughing loudly. Gabby took a picture of Reggie as he threw a football her way.

Gabby squeaked and moved to clasp her hands together, moved to hit the ball with a volleyball bump. Moved too slow. Her camera made her clumsy, unsure of how to put it down safely without the strap around her neck. She closed her eyes and ducked, heard the ball catch against something. Felt the wind whip around her when it was thrown back.

Reggie grinned. "Nice catch, Andrews!" He called.

"Thanks, Reggie," Archie replied. Gabby stood up from her crouch to see Archie standing behind her, hands shoved into the front pocket of his sweatshirt. The nearly identical sweatshirt he wore the day before and the day before that. Jughead had an excuse, she surmised, he was poor. Didn't have much in the way of making an appearance at school. She hardly noticed him as it is. But Archie lived on the Northside, his father's construction company was doing well enough, why he continued to allow himself to put forth a less than ideal front, she didn't know.

Gabby cast a cursory glance over Archie's form. Soft, round, doughy, a little bit overweight. Not anything too interesting to look at, though many people—somehow—seemed to get him and Jason mixed up from behind. _Yeah, right,_ Gabby thought. _Like anyone would give him a second thought._

Reggie seemed not to have the same opinion as he sauntered to Archie and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You really should try out for the team," he said. "We could use you."

"Like you need another concussion?" Betty asked.

"I've got a hard head." Reggie rapped his knuckles against the side of his head to prove his point. "It takes more than a few hits to knock me down. And Andrews here looks like he could take some good hits."

"Sure, if we're talking about how many punches his stomach can take," Gabby snorted. "It's just like playdough, regains its shape after every mark."

Jughead finally spoke up, watching Gabby with as much indifference as she cast on him. "That's a great way to say 'thank you' to someone who's going to keep you from repeating the year," he remarked. His eyes flickered to Reggie. "And, for once, I'm not talking about you. But there's time."

Reggie tightened his grasp on Archie's shoulder, making the redhead wince. "I'd love to see you out on the field, Jones. See if you can back up your mouth with any talent," he remarked.

"Yeah, it takes a lot of talent to chase a ball up a field," Jughead said. His lips barely twitched. "Do you like playing fetch, Reggie?"

Reggie removed his hand from Archie. He stepped toward Jughead, clenching his hands into fists. "Are you saying I'm a dog?"

"Woof, woof."

"Stop," Archie said wearily. He looked to Jughead, who shrugged and turned away, already bored with the conversation.

"You're going to let him talk to Jughead like that?" Betty asked, appalled.

Jughead shrugged lazily. "I don't need Archie to fight my battles for me." Then a wicked smile came to his face. "He can hardly run the football field let alone throw a punch."

Archie rolled his eyes, but looked unoffended at his best friend's jab. Tired of the conversation, Gabby started to walk away. It was Archie's question, low and directed toward the ground, that caught her attention. Made her stop in her tracks. "Do you want to meet in the library after school?"

"For what?"

"What do you think, Gabs?" Reggie flashed an inappropriate smile. "A good ol' roll in the hay! I didn't know you had it in you, Andrews. School's not the first place I'd think of, but the gym's actually—"

"—Come on, Reggie," Betty protested. She folded her arms. She shook her head, blonde ponytail swaying. "Is your mind always in the gutter?"

"No, it's usually on the field," Reggie said.

"That explains so much," Jughead intoned.

Archie and Gabby ignored them all. Arche scuffed at the ground with his foot. "Miss. Grundy asked if I'd help you out," he explained. "She's worried about your grades."

Gabby sneered. "Humpty Grundy isn't even our teacher!"

Archie shrugged. "She says she cares deeply about her students. That we're thriving or whatever." Archie shook his head. "I said I'd think about it, that I'd ask you. It's up to you."

"And what are _you_ getting out of it?"

"Nothing."

The answer startled Gabby. She looked at Archie closely. Quiet, unassuming Archie who didn't have a bad word to say about anyone. Who may as well be invisible to everyone at Riverdale High. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for his red hair being so similar to Jason's she'd never notice him at all.

"If you want, we can meet after school," Archie continued. "If you don't show up." He shrugged again. "That's fine, too."

And go back to what? Staying in an empty house with no one to talk to, nothing to do, and only the sound of silence to accompany her? _I'd rather be dateless at Pops' on Friday,_ Gabby thought. _And that's social suicide._ Plus, it'd keep from setting off another series of hollow post-it-notes when her father certainly couldn't care less about her grades or her schoolwork.

Ever since Hiram Lodge had been named as a person of interest in an embezzlement case, he'd done nothing but put in long hours that continued to stretch as the days went on. What his advertising company had anything to do with Hiram Lodge, she wasn't sure, but it sure took him away a lot.

Gabby sighed, looked back toward the school. Was surprised to find Cheryl standing in the doorway to the school, tapping her foot, looking at her phone. As if waiting for her.

"Fine," Gabby surprised herself saying.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one as well.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

School for Gabby was nothing short of boring. Not because nothing happened, it was Riverdale, nothing ever happened, but because she was by herself. Not for the first time she was at her locker by herself, she was in her classes by herself, she was in the locker room for gym by herself. All the times where she would've been with Cheryl she was alone.

Cheryl really knew how to punish people when she really wanted to. And Gabby got nothing but a cold shoulder from the Bombshell all day. So cold that she felt a cold sweat form at her brow every time Cheryl was nearby. When Cheryl was whispering and giggling with Midge and Josie, were they talking about her? When they laughed loudly at their lunch table, was it something Gabby was missing out on? What inside jokes would she have to work hard to decipher later? What did that raised eyebrow and congratulatory smirk mean every time Gabby looked her way?

And Gabby had enough time to think about it, while ignoring the stares that came her way when everyone realized she was alone. Maybe kicked off her high-horse and crushed underneath Cheryl's stiletto red boot was something they all enjoyed. Gabby didn't put too much energy into figuring out whether it was the truth. (Though Jughead's snort as Gabby looked around the lunchroom, clutching her tray to herself while looking for a place to sit was enough to give Gabby a boost in her eye-rolling game to make sure no one else even dared to look smug at her).

Instead, she settled herself into her own little world. A world that, honestly, was slowly crashing and burning. Her email continued to stay empty of anything from her mother, and she was supposed to have time to get in contact with her. She missed her phone call, Gabby _never_ missed a phone call from her mother. Even when she was at the movie theater in the drive in she'd run out and talk to her mother as long as she could. Sometimes missing the entire second half because she needed to hear _everything_.

Her father…she couldn't remember the last time she and her father had a honest conversation. It seemed that the longer her mother was gone, the longer he stayed at work. Often coming back to the house at the odd hours of the morning, moving as quietly as possible. Often not making it far from the living room where he'd crash to sleep for Gabby to find the next morning.

He'd promised her, _promised_ her that nothing would change while her mother was deployed. _How long did that last, dad?_ Gabby flicked her thumb over her phone screen, scrolling through her social media accounts, making all the laughter and whispers around her from permeating into her brain, making her upset.

Never let them see you sweat. Cheryl rule number 1 of a long list of things Gabby needed to remember when she was in public.

The second thing that bothered Gabby about the day was that Chuck Clayton didn't seem to want to leave her alone. How many events could they go to together before he realized that they were no longer dating? In all honesty, they'd only started going out because their mothers suggested it. When they, awkwardly, sat in the back of Coach Clayton's car at the drive-in— _not touching_ —there was an unmistakable feeling that something was expected to come of them being together.

When Coach Clayton had—finally—left the car so that he could get them some more snacks, Gabby and Chuck had finally said what was on their minds. They were put together because they were some of the only black teen sin Riverdale. Yes, there was Josie, Valerie, and Melody—the Pussycats—but how many guys would suffer the wrath of Mayor McCoy to go out with Josie if something happened? Let alone would Josie, who's one true love in life was music, let any guy get in her way of becoming a music star? Not even Valerie or Melody could talk her into going on any of the dates she was asked out on.

Then again, as far as Gabby was concerned, the Pussycats were a little too close for comfort. There was something to be said of their band name as it was. Chuck, on the other hand, had shot up like a reed, lost his braces, gained some muscle from practicing with the football team over the summer, and became his own man. To a fault. When she and Chuck were alone, they were great together. When he was around his football buddies, that's when he became the asshole Gabby couldn't stand.

The asshole that continuously heckled her at lunch, calling her to sit on his lap and wondering when the next time was they were going to go out. (As if making out at a few parties and pretending to be a 'golden couple' when their parents needed it was 'going out').

But Gabby ignored it all, flashing a large smile on her face as if everything was okay. Laughing intermittently at her phone even though the screen was as black as the midnight sky hovering over the woods in Riverdale. As black as the black hole that Cheryl's absence of her days was. They were best friends, they had to make up at some point. All Gabby had to do was give her some space and things would go back to normal.

Even if that normal was being treated like a social pariah. But if you got on Cheryl Blossom's bad side, you were there for a while. Jason said as much when Gabby caught him at the end of the school day. She'd just gathered her school books from her locker when she watched Jason and Polly Cooper walk by, heads bent toward each other as they spoke quietly.

He held her hand, gently running his fingertips over her knuckles, reassuring her about something. Gabby could tell from the earnest way his head lifted when Polly turned a skeptical eyebrow raise his way. Then he smiled, said something else that made her smile and nod. He pressed a kiss to her forehead them to her lips, making her giggle and turn away. She waved a pom-pom toward him, then rushed off to her River Vixens practice. Cheryl may boast about being a captain, when in all actuality she was the co-captain while Polly was the lead.

Gabby waited until she was sure she'd have Jason's attention before calling out to him. "Jase," Gabby said. He turned to face her. Gabby sighed, pulling her purse up over her shoulder. She held her coat over her arms, covering her hands as she twisted her fingers together. "I just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier." Jason tilted his head, confused. "About Polly." He nodded, clarity coming over his face. "I know you really like her, and it wasn't fair of me."

Jason waved a hand. Waved off her apology. "Forget about it," he said.

"No, I really need to say it. You're one of my best friends, Jase, and I don't want anything to jeopardize that."

Gabby started to say something else then stopped. Instead, she gave him a tiny smile. One she knew that made her dimples stand out and always made him forgive her. How else did she get him to finally start speaking to her again after she accidentally destroyed his completed LEGO Death Star model? Buying another one and some other kits for him probably helped but she was stubborn and didn't want to lose him as a friend.

"Even Cheryl?" Jason prompted. Gabby's smile immediately dropped. Her head jerked back in surprise, eyebrows furrowing. Jason looked away form a moment. He licked his lips and ran his hands over his face before saying, "Look, I know Cheryl can be a handful sometimes. I love her. But she's also one who will do anything to make sure no one gets in her way of what she wants. I don't want you to get caught up in that."

Gabby let out a startled laugh. "Caught up in what? Jase, you know I can handle myself."

"I know you can," Jason said. "You're the one who managed to take down the entire third grade in dodge ball." Despite herself, Gabby started to smile. "You even broke Moose's nose. And Moose is a pretty tough nut to crack." He tapped himself on the chest, where his football pads would have been residing. "Trust me. I've had a whole summer of trying."

"How's it going?" The two started to walk with each other down the hallway. "Being on the football team, I mean?" She and Cheryl had gone to watch his try-out, with Cheryl practicing her new cheers of being River Vixen. If Jason were embarrassed at all, he didn't show it. No, he grinned towards Cheryl and Gabby every time they cheered for him. Even going so far as to say Cheryl's presence really helped him out.

Not many guys would say that about their sisters. Jason was the one who cheered the loudest when Cheryl was named co-captain of the River Vixens, even giving her pointers to be sure she was at her best when she did nothing but practice around Thornhill Mansion. Thankfully Jason was there to do it, Gabby always thought, or else she'd be the guinea pig to Cheryl's crazy plans.

"It's great," Jason replied. A ghost of a smile came to his face. "We have our first game soon. A really big one, too. The guys and I have been working hard to make sure we beat them." He smirked. "Not that it'll be hard, it's against Southside High."

Gabby let out a loud bark of laughter. Southside High. Not a threat at all. Their football team was even weaker than their wrestling team and that was saying something considering they didn't have many options out of the school population that was filled with criminals and burnouts.

"Should be a good show, then."

"The stands will be filled, that's for sure." Jason spun out of the way of Dilton Doiley as he marched past, tying a complicated knot in the tie he wore around his neck. Probably going to his next Boy Scout meeting, she determined. There wasn't much he did in terms of socializing otherwise. "If they can get away from their super important meetings, I mean." He joined in with Gabby's laughter.

"And Polly?"

"What about her?"

"She just seemed really upset before." Not that she didn't expect Polly to be at the front of the crowd, cheering her heart out. No matter how many fights she and Jason had—which, admittedly weren't that many, she was always there for him. "I mean…you didn't tell her what I said, did you?"

Jason smiled. "Polly's a lot tougher than you give her credit for, Gabs. You'd have to say a lot worse to get to her than that." Gabby gave him a knowing look and Jason simply shrugged in response. There wasn't much that would get through Jasons's friendly exterior. He'd reacted badly because it was someone he loved. He would've done the same if it were for Cheryl. "And…everything's fine. We're just working through some things."

"Don't tell me that Riverdale's golden couple is having a lover's spat," Gabby teased.

Jason's smile fell from his face. For a long moment, long enough that he didn't notice she'd stopped walking to look at him, Jason was silent. Finally, he turned back to her, gave a shrug and a boyish smile and said, "Things can't be perfect all the time," before he waved and headed to practice.

* * *

The bell above Pop's Chok-o-Lit shop rang as Gabby walked inside. She hitched her purse up her shoulder, looking around for someone to sit with. Of course, no one from Northside was there to rescue her form sitting alone again. The sea of leather jackets that turned her way was enough for her to know she made a mistake.

Just to be sure, Gabby looked at her phone and sighed. It was Southside time. Everyone in Riverdale knew when it was time for the Northside to be in Pops and for the Southside to be in Pops and didn't intermingle much more than they needed to. Jughead, she could see sitting in the corner of the restaurant amongst numerous burger wrappers, seemed to be the only person in Riverdale to not care. He hardly looked at her, when she entered, too engrossed in whatever it was he was plucking away on his laptop.

The Southside, however, didn't seem to pay her much mind either. The younger teen guys sneered at her before looking away, the older guys gave her an obvious once over before turning away. Only one of the teen girls gave her more than a passing glance, and Gabby couldn't help but notice her either. The pink hair she sported atop her head in a bun made it difficult for her to be missed.

Still, her gaze wasn't friendly either. Not as dismissive, but not friendly.

"Gabriella Rush, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Gabby smiled at Pops as he walked down the diner to her, drying his hands on the dishtowel almost constantly draped over his arm. Gabby dropped her purse to her hand, and carefully placed herself on the stool at the counter. Further down the counter she noticed FP Jones give her a quick glance then looked away.

She briefly wondered why Jughead wasn't acknowledging his father, but certainly didn't have any room to talk about it. Her own relationship with her father, while out in Riverdale, was hard enough. How many times could she watch him put back beer after beer while slowly but surely getting progressively more used to it. Waiters and waitresses looking at him in concern as he asked for, yet another beer was enough to make her want to crawl in a hole and die.

"Late day snack," Gabby replied.

Pops smiled. His gaze shifted to the empty stool beside her. "Where's your partner in crime? I don't think I've ever seen you without Cheryl in years."

Gabby frowned. It must've been obvious if Pops noticed it. Then again, Pops knew everything about Riverdale. He _was_ Riverdale as far as anyone was concerned. He didn't care about the Northside and the Southside, didn't care about any of the status of anyone that came through his doors. In Pops' eyes, everyone was his friend and he treated them as such. And Pops was, sort of, a grandfather to her. He was the one who listened to her cry her eyes out over her milkshake that her father had bought to cheer her up the first time her mother was deployed, all the way back in the second grade.

Since then, he consistently asked her how things were going. Making sure she was 'okay'.

Instead of responding to his question, God couldn't she do _anything_ without Cheryl being brought up, Gabby rested her chin in her hands and said, "Pops, you'd do a lot better if you upgraded some things around here." Not that she didn't like the classic look of the diner. She loved it. But after a long day of being excluded, she needed to lash out at something.

"Yeah?" He looked amused. "Like what."

"Well, for starters," Gabby tilted her head towards the Serpents. "You can get rid of the trailer trash."

Pops folded his arms over his chest. He gave her a serious look, his famous smile dropping from his face. "Everyone is welcome here, Gabriella, you know that." Then he smiled and playfully swatted her with his towel, making Gabby pretend to squeal and bring her hands back from being hit. "Even spoiled brats like you."

"Noted."

"So what can I get you?"

"A milkshake is fine."

"Coming right up."

The bell over the door rang again. Somehow, Gabby knew who it was without turning around.

"There you are!" Cheryl dramatically burst open the door of Pops. Gabby, used to such entrances, hardly even flinched as all eyes turned Cheryl's way. This time, the looks were much more menacing. A teen boy with a tattoo on his neck snorted loudly, tapping the back of his fork against the table top. "I was looking all over for you. Jay-Jay said you were on your way here after that tutoring session with Farchie." She spread her arms wide, nearly hitting a passing waitress in the face. "And, here you are."

Part of her wondered how Cheryl knew about Archie tutoring her that afternoon. Not that much tutoring had even gotten done. Miss. Grundy gave them the library to use but she continued to hover around the two, correcting Archie or Gabby on things they said that she deemed wrong. Not to mention her consistent staring over the top of her glasses, as if waiting for them to do something wrong. Archie slowly grew uncomfortable with the attention while Gabby simply shot nasty looks to her, telling Archie to ignore her.

Nevertheless, Gabby didn't pay too much attention anyway. She continued to look over her shoulder, glancing around to see if anyone noticed the two of them together. If word got out, she'd never hear the end of it.

Gabby looked at Cheryl with a raised eyebrow. "You're talking to me, now?"

At that, Cheryl lowered her hand and rolled her eyes. "What's a little trial separation between friends. We can't be together all the time and you know I had to smooth things over with Jason. He's so in love with Polly it's positively sickening." She perched herself on the stool next to Gabby, crossing her legs at the knee. This time, her protruding foot nearly knocked down another waiter. "It's like he's lost his sense of humor or something."

"Or something," Gabby agreed, but didn't press further. She knew what happened when she got in the middle of Cheryl and Jason after a particularly nasty incident when they were eight and arguing over something stupid.

"Anyway, like the saint I am, I decided to forgive you," Cheryl continued. "Today was absolutely boring without you and I don't think I could ever go through it again." She reached out and grasped Gabby's wrists, sticking her lower lip out in a pout. "Please don't leave me again."

Gabby wanted to put Cheryl through the wringer a little bit. Wanted to make her suffer, wanted to make her a little nervous over the way things had played out that day. But with one more look around Pops, Gabby knew she couldn't do it. There weren't many people that truly understood her (and vice versa) or was as much fun to hang out with.

Even if she did have to be careful with jeopardizing it.

After all, they were best friends.

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow, writing Gabby's character makes it a lot of things appear to be bashed. I don't mean any of it, it's just from Gabby's POV. (As warped as it is from how much of a façade she puts on, lol). I really liked writing Jason, he's probably going to end up being an even bigger character than I originally intended.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

 _Have volleyball tryouts today. Wish me luck. xGabby._

 _I'll be there! Break a leg! -Dad._

Gabby gently shook her head, only to cry out when it was painfully yanked back seconds later by a sharp grip from her so-called best friend. "Ow!" She squealed and looked up at Cheryl, who stool above her. Cheryl tsk'd, planting a hand on her hip. She pursed her red-painted lips.

"Well, I wouldn't have to be so rough with you if you'd just sit still," Cheryl reminded her.

Gabby reached up, sliding her hand over Cheryl's in a loving manner, ignoring the stares that came their way. Didn't ignore it, reveled in it. "Baby, don't you know by now I like it rough?" She made a show of winking, struggling to keep her laughter inside lest she ruin the joke.

Cheryl fluttered her eyelashes in response and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Anything for you, my darling."

They two then burst out into hysterical laughter.

All eyes were on her and Cheryl as they always were to be. They weren't the most popular girls in school for nothing. Everywhere they went they had an audience, and it was fun, too. Gabby had the most fun she ever did with Cheryl, Jason, the River Vixens, and the rest of the football team. Everyone else _should_ be jealous of the fun they had when they were together. How many times had she tried out something for fun; a new hairstyle, a new clothing style, only to see copycats of it by the end of the day? Within the next hour at the quickest?

Enough times to know the power she held. And Gabby felt more than powerful—invincible—when she knew the girls getting ready for their team tryouts that day where milling about, watching her and Cheryl as they got ready for their own respective teams. And as they always were under public scrutiny; they were calm, cool, and collected. Cheryl was the co-captain of the River Vixens, having been appointed to the spot by Polly the year before, she had no need to tryout. Her fate was signed, sealed, delivered.

Gabby, a player on the middle school volleyball team had to try out for the high school team. She wasn't worried, per say, but knew it was going to be tough. The Lady Bulldogs—Gabby always rolled her eyes at that, why would she want to routinely be called a bitch?—had won the championship the year before and they'd never won twice in a row. Gabby helped lead the Middle School team to the finals the year before, losing in the last round. She wanted to be on a winning team for a sport she loved. And that year was definitely the one to do it.

So much so that Cheryl insisted upon giving Gabby her 'perfect ponytail'. High on the crown of her head with a giant bow placed around it. 'Eye-catching' Cheryl explained. "You want all eyes on you." She leaned forward, resting her chin on Gabby's shoulder, and the two shared a quiet giggle. "You're going to be amazing, I know it."

"You swear?" Gabby teased. But she could see in Cheryl's eyes on sincere she was. Didn't have to wonder, knew from the way Cheryl gently and carefully brushed her hair before twisting it up into the scrunchie for the ponytail.

Cheryl cleared her throat dramatically. She threw her hair over her shoulders and said, raising her right hand, "I, Cheryl Marjorie Blossom, swear on my precious baby dog Sugar's life, that you're going to be one hundred percent, absolutely amazing."

That was serious. Cheryl loved her Pomeranian, Sugar, more than life itself. Loved _animals_ more than life itself. Every weekend she volunteered at shelters to take care of those that were dropped off, but always doted on her puppy the most. Gabby swore she'd seen Cheryl kiss her own dog on the mouth once, though wouldn't let most of the guys in Riverdale even feel her up. She flited up a storm and left the debris of broken hearts in her wake.

Gabby smiled and gave Cheryl a quick hug before replacing her spot on the bench, standing behind her to run a brush through Cheryl's hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. The brush glided through Cheryl's hair with ease, making Gabby feel a slight sense of envy for her friend. She remembered when she was a very little girl how she wished she were white rather than black, how she wished she had the straight hair that didn't take hours to style, hours for a comb to be ripped through, hours for it to be perfectly relaxed to be stick straight. Gabby got over it, loved being black, loved being different, but sometimes she still envied Cheryl.

Especially for her ways to feel _know_ she was going to get everything she wanted. How she was always so sure of herself. Gabby's hands shook as she finished Cheryl's ponytail. She turned her back to those in the locker room, secretly shook them out.

 _Never let them see you sweat,_ she thought. Then, turning back around, she plastered a smile to her face, looped her arm through Cheryl's and the two marched out of the locker room, shoving past some of the other girls that got in their way.

Cheryl waved her hand, fluttering her fingers as she went. "Step aside, peasants!" She declared. "Royalty coming through."

"A royal pain in the ass more like it."

Gabby sighed, releasing her grasp from Cheryl's. She knew that voice and would know it anywhere. Turning around, Gabby spotted Nancy Woods coming up beside her, also dressed in her gym clothes, ready for volleyball try-outs.

Nancy glared back at her, her arms folded, chin lifted. "And how you today, Black Cherry?" Nancy drawled.

If it was supposed to be something that made Gabby annoyed, Nancy wasn't doing a good job of it. Black Cherry, a nickname placed on Gabby and Cheryl by one of their teachers in elementary school from their constant appearance around each other, rolled off Nancy's tongue with nothing short of annoyance. But the nickname, however, gave Gabby strength. Made her feel like something, really made her feel she had something real.

"Are you ready to lose the captain position again?" Gabby asked Nancy. She then stepped forward, leaning into Nancy's face, looking her directly in the eye. "Or are you afraid to lose Chuck... _again_?" Nancy's face reddened; the undertone of her otherwise cocoa skin made her face appear darker. "I can't help it if he gets bored of you. There's only so long he can date a prude. You think you'd get the hint and find someone else to go out with." Gabby feigned a shocked gasp, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth, which she let dramatically drop open. "Oh, I forgot. You're _devoted_ to him."

Nancy scowled and stormed off into the gym. Cheryl giggled with glee, clasping her hands together. "I can't wait to tell Jason that one," she said. "He'll be sorry he missed it."

"Knowing Jason, he'll try to go after her himself," Gabby mused.

"Please. My brother would never taint the Blossom blood with someone like Nancy Woods. Not that he wouldn't try, but you hit the nail on the head. She's too much of a prude. And you know Jason really only likes to date rich girls."

"What about Polly?"

"…That's a special case. You know how womanizing he can be sometimes, I'll be surprised if those two make it through high school." Cheryl rolled her eyes. "Do you know what he said to me? That I'll 'never understand' because he's two minutes older. Do you believe that?"

Gabby laughed. "Unfortunately, I do." She'd seen Cheryl pout many times Jason pointed out how much older he was than her. Even when two minutes wasn't really that much. The two walked out to the gym. In one side of the court, the River Vixens were getting ready for their practice. Gabby could see Polly standing with Midge, arms folded over her chest, hip cocked as the two giggled and laughed with each other. Their faculty advisor, Patti Pacer, stood nearby, twirling a whistle around her neck. If she noticed any of the boys that had flocked in to the gym to watch the Vixens' practice, she didn't show it.

Chances were, they were there to watch Miss. Pacer as well. Patty Pacer—Patty Pastie to her and Cheryl from her youth and attractiveness compared to the older female teachers in the school–made sure the River Vixens practiced, rather than stood around gossiping. Cheryl complained about her nearly every day, how she worked them too hard and held grueling practices, but they won their competitions when they went to them and Gabby had seen Cheryl improve over the summer because of it.

Compared to her own coach, Gabby wished she had Miss. Pacer. Eyes sweeping over the gym, Gabby looked at her own coaches; Coach Kleats and Coach Grappler. Coach Grappler was the exact opposite of Miss. Pacer, while Miss. Pacer was young, attractive, and probably had every male in the student body and on the faculty and staff lusting after her, Coach Grappler certainly did not. She was tough and aggressive, bulky, and muscular. Everything they needed in a volleyball coach. But nothing other men were attracted to, she and Cheryl saw her at the drive-in by herself nearly every weekend.

Pathetic, they noted, as they watched her chomp on handfuls of popcorn, jaw moving like that of a cow's. Then there was Coach Kleats; not only was he the volleyball coach, but he was also Riverdale's PE teacher. And probably, only PE teacher if his aggression and disdain towards the students was anything to go off of. He routinely lost his temper with the students; shouting at them when they wouldn't stop talking and he didn't get his way, making the fat in his neck and arms jiggle, thus making the students talk and laugh even more. A vicious cycle. But he knew what he was doing; often the volleyball team won their games and tournaments.

If only he could help them win without the threat of going to the hospital every day for high blood pressure, Gabby thought, smiling to herself. _His face sure could turn a nasty shade of red._

"How long do you think it'll be before Coach Grapple has us doing suicide dives?" Nancy asked, leaning over to stretch her sides.

Gabby looked at her. It wasn't a surprise that Nancy was suddenly civil to her. It was the way they worked; they snarked at each other when outside of volleyball, but when they were on the court, they worked together to get the team to win. Team mates on the court, at each other's throats when off.

"Not very long, I think," Tina Patel commented from Nancy's other side. She placed her hands on her ankles and stretched all the way over. "I heard he had to be put on blood thinners recently. One more blow up and he'll be headed to the hospital. But I've heard they've got some hot orderlies there, I wouldn't mind taking a trip myself."

"We could always stage a fight, I could get on top of you and strangle you," Gabby joked. She tossed her head toward the filling bleachers. "Give the guys a bit of a show."

"There's an idea!" Tina laughed, and the girls slapped a high-five. Gabby already forgot how easily Tina had shunned her when Cheryl wanted to punish her for upsetting Jason, laughing at her as she sat alone in the lunchroom. "But we all know Grapple would…" Tina drew her finger across her neck.

A crass joke, really. But there were only so many times Coach Grapple would shout at them to 'knock off' their opponent's heads when they were in the middle of a heated bout before it became an inside joke between them all.

A sharp blast of a whistle caught the girls' attention. Coach Kleats and Coach Grapple waved the team over, ready for them to start try-outs. The same thing they'd always did; watched their setting, watched how they paced the ball to each other, their spikes, their dives, their endurance as they ran around the court. Push-ups, sit-ups, wanted to weigh them to see how fit they were, and, finally, had them play a scrimmage.

Throughout the try-out, Gabby's eyes continuously moved to the bleachers. About every five minutes or so. They darted toward the doors to the gym when they creaked open and slammed shut. Looked around when she heard a new voice talk. Waited for her dad.

She saw Jason in the crowd; sitting at the top of the bleachers with a text book held above his face. Enough to cover most of his face, but not enough to cover the rare sight of him in his glasses; black-rimmed like a hipster, of course. She couldn't quite see where he was looking, though no doubt he was watching Polly.

No. Gabby's eyebrows furrowed when she looked closer. He was watching Cheryl. And she was looking right back at him. Weird.

Gabby continued to look around the gym before finding herself getting yelled at by Coach Grapple to pay attention and do a suicide dive. Gabby nodded and got herself into position, throwing herself onto her stomach when a ball came flying toward the floor.

She extended her hands and batted the ball up as hard as she could, to keep it from hitting the floor.

"Great work, Rush!"

The words normally would've made Gabby beam with pride, but that day it was snuffed out by two very surprising things. Both of them made her stop and stare. One; Archie stood at the top of the bleachers, on the complete other end with Jughead and Betty by his sides. (Jughead lazily stretched out along the bleachers, his crown style hat resting over his face while Betty conversed animatedly with Archie about something as he seemed to only be half paying attention).

The other thing that made her stop and stare, body filling with nothing short of disappointment, was that her father never showed up.

* * *

"Come on, baby, come on!" Gabby cried out when her pleas fell on deaf ears.

She growled, twisting her key in the ignition of her car. The engine sputtered and died, the same as it had been doing the last fifteen times she tried. Her baby, her Corvette, was dead. It would not come back to life. It would not become enamored with Gabby and mow down anyone who tried to get between them. It would not pass GO. Gabby would not collect $200.

Mark the time of death; seven fifteen on the Southside.

"Agggh!" Gabby let out an unladylike growl, glad Cheryl wasn't there to remind her to always be prepared for an audience. Like she needed another lecture when her baby was slowly drowning with the rain continuously falling around her. A perfect way to end her otherwise miserable day.

Why did she think it was a good idea to ride with the top down? Why did she think it was a good idea to delude herself into think her fantasy of running away and going on a road trip out of Riverdale was a good idea? Why did she think her father would've actually gotten around to taking her car into the shop when he hadn't been around for more than five seconds within the last two weeks? Why did she have to have such a temper tantrum when she saw her father wasn't there at her volleyball try-outs he promised he'd go to when he'd broken so many promises within the last few months?

Why did she think he'd be able to actually _keep_ his promise this time?

Most importantly. Why did she not listen to him when he said she needed to put down her protective seat linings to keep the leather fresh? Oh yeah, "Daddy, my car was born for leather seats. I can't taint it with that cheap sheep stuff. At least when it's below 100 thread count."

Already soaked to the bone and feeling a chill coming on, Gabby slid out her car and yanked her purse over her shoulder. She huddled by the car, deciding what to do. She should've changed after try-outs ended and she was named to be on the team. She should've taken Cheryl's and Jasons's offer to celebrate at Pops'. But she couldn't handle it. Couldn't handle how happy the rest of them were, couldn't handle how perfect their lives seemed to be. Jason was the quarterback on the football team with his arm around his cheerleader girlfriend, and twin sister standing by his side, her arm looped possessively around her brother's other side.

No. She had to be a sore loser and run away. Couldn't let anyone see her cry her eyes out in the shocking disappointment she felt with her dad not showing up. Couldn't even cry to her mother as she was unable to be reached when all she wanted was her mother's comfort.

So she drove. And, in response, her baby decided to warn itself of its driver. Gabby could call her dad to have Douglas pick her up, but then she'd be on the receiving end of a lecture for years on end. She wasn't supposed to go to the Southside, shouldn't get herself mixed up with 'those types of people'. Her mother had insisted upon it numerous times. "I want you to make the best of yourself and to do that, you need to put yourself around the right kinds of people."

But where else was she supposed to go when she was 'running away'? The Southside was the only place no one would look for her. And for good reason, too. No one wanted to be caught in the Southside. Even when they were playing truth or dare at their parties and egged each other on to spend a night in that part of the town, no one ever did it.

It was Gabby's blind anger and sadness that led her there. Some sort of a homing beacon if she were to really think about it. She could feel the tension within the Southside, the sort of tension the Northside constantly tried to hide under their perfect veneer. Maybe she really did belong over there. Sighing, Gabby hugged her arms tighter to herself. Her clothes stuck to her body, making a low 'schlepping' sound when she pulled it away from her stomach. Ugh. Silk never did well when it got wet. She at least found that dress shirt in the trunk, a small cover amongst her otherwise ill-prepared body. Gabby pushed her hair back from her face, wincing as the buildup of the hairspray and hair product Cheryl had put in to keep her lucky ponytail from falling, stung her eyes.

Wincing, Gabby looked through the sheets of rain that fell to find a neon sign hanging nearby.

 _The Whyte Wyrm._

Gabby hesitated. She talked a big game but was no fool. Just looking at the Serpents that stood outside the bar was enough to make her want to flee back to her car, no matter how much water was currently drowning her seats. Their motorcycles stood menacingly in front with the owners standing nearby, talking quietly to each other. Gabby sucked in a deep breath and headed over.

 _You can do this,_ she thought with each step forward. _You're strong, smart, tough, you can handle yourself. Mom prepared you in case anything happened. Dad prepared you in case anything happened._ She'd learned self-defense at a young age and her mother told her time and time again what to do if she were ever grabbed from behind or cornered. She could do this.

Gabby stepped inside the bar and was immediately hit in the face by a cloud of smoke. Low, cruel laughter beside her came from the men that stood by their motorcycles. They smiled smugly at her. She only just noticed the smoldering end of the cigarettes they held between their fingers.

"You like what you see?" The man closest to her asked. He took in a drag, leaned close to her, and blew the smoke into her face once more.

Gabby simply ignored him, pulling her purse higher up her shoulder and stepped further into the bar. Neon lights advertising the Serpents logo—stitched onto the back of every jacket—beer, drinks, food, and pool shone around every wall. Pool tables were stacked near each other were surrounding by people of all ages; young, teens, and older. Some played pool, others sat around their tables, eating and laughing. All eyes seemed to turn her way when Gabby walked through the door.

Gabby lifted her chin, glared at every look that turned her way. She wasn't going to let them scar her.

"Looking for someone?"

Gabby turned to the counter, finding the pink-haired teen girl she saw at Pops' running a dishtowel over the counter. Funny how juxtaposed it was; Pops in a crisp, white, clean uniform and a bright smile, helping everyone who came by while this girl scowled suspiciously at Gabby, in a uniform of her serpent jacket and the darkest colors to match the darkness of her jacket and the hellish atmosphere around her.

The red neon lights sitting around the bar didn't help much, either.

"Yeah," Gabby ventured closer to the girl. "What does it take to get some service around here?" She made a show of wiping off a stained stool top before sitting down.

The girl's smirk grew wider though she didn't stop her movements to clean. "Did you lose your dog?" She set the glass aside and rested her hands on the counter, leaning toward Gabby. "Oh, sorry, a girl like you has a horse, right?"

"A girl like me?" Gabby repeated, using the exact same snotty tone the girl was using.

The shrugged and leaned back from the counter. This time, she picked up a glass a customer slapped to the table and ran it under a tap before drying it with her dishtowel. "You're right, Riverdale isn't the best place for horses." She nodded out the windows of the bar to Gabby's Corvette. "But _that_ horsepower though…"

Gabby snorted, unable to hide her disdain. "Not so much horsepower anymore."

Now the girl looked interested, looking over the large droplets that dripped to the floor. "You break down?"

"No, I decided to come in here to see how the other half lives," Gabby said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes. "You gotta phone?"

The girl looked pointedly at the one that sat on the wall behind her. Then she deflated Gabby's hopes by saying, "Yeah, but it doesn't work."

"Not for your kind, anyway."

Gabby looked to her left and right, noticing the presence that suddenly flanked her sides. Her mother would've been so disappointed in her.

 _You need to be aware of your surroundings._

Sorry, mom.

Two tall teenaged boys, one with a serpent tattoo on his neck, the other's hidden. Nevertheless, both of their dark eyes trained on Gabby with less than friendly looks. "Is she bothering you, Toni? You know it's hard to get that Northside stench off when you come too close," the taller one said.

Toni waved her hand. "Nah, she's fine. Perfectly harmless as Northsiders go." She pointed out the window with her thumb. "Car broke down."

"Don't you have, like, five more waiting to be used?" The second boy asked. "Collecting dust as they're too precious to be driven?"

"Hardly." Gabby stuck her nose in the air, tossed her hair over her shoulders. "My corvette's my baby."

The taller teen snorted. He elbowed his friend in the side, the tow sharing inappropriate grins. "Would probably be the only thing to stick it's dick in you."

At that, Toni rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Sweet Pea, the misogynistic route is tired these days. If you want to insult a Northsider, take some pointers from Fangs." She jerked her head as Sweet Pea rolled his eyes and Fangs smiled smugly. "Either that, or let your fists do the talking. It's what you're good at."

Sweet Pea and Fangs laughed at Toni's playful jabs at them. Gabby, on the other hand, laughed for an entirely different reason. "Your names are Sweet Pea and Fangs?" She cut her laughter short with a snort. She curled her upper lip. "What's next? String Bean and Mandible? Your parents must _really_ love you."

Not that she had any room to talk.

Sweet Pea stepped forward, his eyes roving over Gabby's shorter stature. Taller than Toni but certainly much shorter than the other teenagers that stood around her. Gabby reached into the pocket of her pants, squeezing her palm around the dog tags that sat nestled inside. Just as she did whenever she needed her mother's strength. "You talk tough for someone who's on the wrong side of town," he said. "What? Did you think a little field trip over here was going to make you realize how good you have it over there?"

"Not like you don't flaunt it every chance you get," Fangs added. He tilted his head, looking at her dripping clothes. "Everyone knows silk doesn't do well when it gets wet." Sweet Pea and Toni exchanged glances while Fangs shrugged unapologetically. "But you can always buy more, can't you?"

"Yeah, yeah." Gabby put her hands on her hips, looked at the three in turn. "So, are you going to help me or not?" Gabby asked.

Sweet Pea pretended to mull it over. He didn't last a second before snapping a pool stick back into his hands. "Not," He replied. To emphasize his statement, he leaned over the pool table and smacked the cue ball into the triangle formed balls, shooting one straight into the corner pocket.

"Sorry, princess," Toni added with a not-so-sorry shrug and even not sorrier smirk. "But we don't do charity as much as you Northsiders don't. Then again," her eyes turned flinty. "We're just trailer trash, right?" With that, she turned her back on Gabby, pointedly ignoring her.

"You got lucky, Northsider," Sweet Pea said. "Real lucky."

Gabby sighed once more, she was doing that a lot lately. She picked up her purse and moved to go back to her car, preferring to drown than deal with any more of the Southsiders. She didn't want to know what would happen if any of those guys leering at her decided to become emboldened to talk to her.

She started to turn away, ready to run at a moment's notice, when a familiar face caught her attention. Eyes narrowing, Gabby watched the man. Watched as he smiled and laughed with another man nearby, waving a beer bottle back and forth as he did so. The man across from him—middle aged, very tall, big build with long, straight brown hair and blonde highlights. A trimmed beard with some gray in it. A hoop earring on one side, and a nose ring along the same—grinned and held out his hand toward the first man.

The two men shook hands and nodded, as if finishing some sort of a transaction.

Gabby finally found her voice. "Daddy?"

Stephen Rush whipped around at his daughter's voice. His eyes widened when he saw her before he composed himself, by her side in a second. "Gabriella, what are you doing here?" He asked. His voice was low, hand tight on her arm. Gabby gulped. Gabriella. She was in trouble. "Why are you all wet?"

"My car broke down," She said.

"Are you okay?"

Stephen pulled her closer to him and looked around the Whyte Wyrm, glaring at any man that looked their way as if ready to rip their throat out. Gabby felt a warm rush of protection from her father. Though she was still mad at him.

"I'm fine," Gabby said quickly. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"That's not important right now."

"You missed try-outs."

Stephen paused. His face fell. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go home."

Gabby wanted to kick and scream, throw a temper tantrum, demand to know why he was at the Whyte Wyrm, who the guy was that he was talking to, why he had to be there to miss her practice, why he was always gone. Wanted some answers.

But she couldn't. Because, at that moment, nothing was better than being able to snuggle up to her father's side, happy to be spending even a little time with him

* * *

 **A/N:** Finally getting more into the ArchiexGabby stuff in the next chapter as well are more appearances from the other main Riverdale characters. Thanks for all of the support and response so far. It's been really motivating. I know a lot of people just want to read about the Serpents so I'm glad you're giving the story a chance.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

"You mean you're not coming to our practice?" Cheryl's eyes practically fell out her head, a smile frozen on her face making her appear even more demonic than during her nasty days. "But I wanted to show you some of the new routines I came up with!" She waved her hands through the air, nearly smacking Gabby in the face with her long, almost talon-like fingernails. "It's sure to put us all the way to the state finals if I do say so myself."

Gabby smiled at Cheryl, gently shaking her head. "I think Polly would have something to do with it, too, Cherry."

"Please. She keeps everyone in line and the dance moves and Mean Girls inspired routines are inspired by yours truly." Cheryl flipped her hair over her shoulder, fluttering her eyelashes. Her gaze shifted behind Gabby, making the black teen follow her head, seeing Jason and Polly leaning against each other, quietly kissing amongst the crowd of students that filled Riverdale High's halls. "What, you don't think it's sweet?"

Gabby turned back to Cheryl, who stared at her. Her red lips pursed and Cheryl made a low 'humming' sound, her eyes roving over Gabby's face. Gabby sighed, recognizing it. She hitched her purse up her shoulder, her other hand sliding up to grasp the dog tags around her neck.

"So you have one nice moment of Jason forgiving you and next thing you want to defend him and Polly?" Cheryl asked. She snorted, gently shaking her head. "I knew it. You're as in love with him as all the other girls around here. I mean, it's understandable, he's a Blossom; the highest caliber man you could have."

Gabby smiled. "Why don't you just date him, then?"

Cheryl smiled back. She stepped forward and framed Gabby's face with her hands, gently tucking her hair behind her ears. "Because you're the only one for me, you know that. You're the only one who understands." She stepped back, her smile growing wider. "And you're the only one who has the same measurements as me, making it a million times easier to share our loot when we go shopping. Just like we're going to dot his weekend."

"Ah. I can't." Gabby shook her head. "We've got volleyball this weekend. It's like…a conditioning camp sort of thing. .Two days where it's just the team doing all those boring team building things that everyone pretends to think is fun when we're all just grinning and bearing it."

Cheryl wagged her finger in Gabby's face. "No. Grinning and bearing it is when I have to be with my mother. Team building is when we sit back and openly make snide comments because we're so much better than middle aged miscreants who think that getting excited over singing camp songs is something people over seven enjoy. So, no shopping this weekend. What about an online shopping spree at Chez Thornhill to make up for it? It's on me."

"As long as the next one's on me," Gabby replied.

"Darling, it always is."

Cheryl gave Gabby a quick kiss on the cheek before sashaying down the hallway to the gym. She waved her hands whenever someone came across her path, motioning them out of her way. The crowds parted like the red sea and Cheryl was some sort of God. _Which she totally is,_ Gabby thought.

She turned on her heel, going the other way. Towards the library. Might as well get it over with. She told Archie he could help her get her grades up, Miss. Grundy was waiting for them, and her history teacher waiting to see that her grades did improve, "or else."

Gabby simply snorted in response. It was an empty threat. Everything about Riverdale High was an empty threat. So, what if her grades fell? It just meant her father would donate a new library, a new cafeteria, send a grant to the board to keep her in school because as everyone knew 'money talks'. And yet, if she _didn't_ go to the sessions and something else was donated to the school that the Blossoms hadn't already sent in…well, Gabby didn't want to know what'd happen.

Whispers? Pitying looks? Wondering how the girl who had all the privilege in the world because of who her parents were and what they did managed to fail to spectacularly? Wonder if she was finally starting to break down since her mother left? Start up those rumors again? That she ran off with some drifter and left her family behind?

She folded her arms, continuing down the hallways with the pointed, fixed stare she managed to perfect over the last few years. Where she didn't look too long at what was in front of her; a face, a locker, a window, anything that caught her eye. Her gaze bounced around, just her eyes still stared straight ahead. And, just like Cheryl, everyone parted for her, quickly moving out of the way.

Some girls stared enviously at her, doing a quick scan to figure out where she got her clothes, though all were much too expensive for them to even _think_ of affording. Wondered how she got her hair to look so perfect—hours of careful styling and protecting—wondered how she was able to live through Riverdale—the town with pep that tended to bore people as they got older. It was no wonder the teenagers all tended to live double lives; the perfect child to their parents during the day, ranging hormonal monsters at night.

Gabby made her way to the library, stopped by Josie McCoy as she made her way out. "Jo-Jo," Gabby greeted her friend.

Josie beamed back at her. "My girl, Gabby," Josie replied. She adjusted the cat ears that sat atop her head, buried in her shoulder length curls. Then she reached out and grasped Gabby's arm, squeezing it tightly. "What's up?"

"That outfit!" Gabby replied, making Josie smile, lift her hands, and spin in a quick circle. "You're looking especially ferocious today." She felt a little silly, pampering Josie's feline obsession. Not that she wasn't proud of Josie, Valerie, and Melody. They were making a big name for themselves with their presence in Riverdale. Nearly every event had the Pussycats show up and do a performance; every pep rally, every house party, everything.

"You know, I've got to stick with my brand," Josie agreed, making the two girls laugh. "And, you know there's still a spot for you to join us."

"I'm sorry, do you _want_ to lose your fame and notoriety? You know I love you, girl, but even I don't want to tarnish your band's name like that." Gabby folded her arms. "So, what do you guys have planned coming up?"

"Music, music, and more music," Josie said. She mimicked Gabby's stance, folding her arms. "A day in the life of a pussycat never stops. When we're not writing, we're recording demos to be sent out."

"Hear anything back from New York, yet?"

"Not yet, but we're still hopeful. Homecoming is coming up and there's the pep rally, you know how it goes. I hope to see you there."

"You know I'll be there, cheering and screaming the hardest. I'll even be your stalker fan if you'd like." Gabby laughed along with Josie, just before their laughter awkwardly broke off. It didn't matter how many people supported Josie and the Pussycats, no one would be as big of a supporter as her mother, Mayor McCoy. Mayor McCoy gave everything she could in her power of privilege to help her daughter and her friends move forward in the music industry.

"I don't think I need anything to go that far," Josie said, holding up her hands. "But you can help promote us." She reached into her purse and pulled out brightly colored papers. "We're doing a show at Power Records next week and we need you there."

Gabby smiled, taking the flier. "I'll be there."

"Thanks, girl. I'll see you later."

"Later Jose."

Gabby waved and stepped into the library. She walked straight to the back of the library, where she met up with Archie previously, and found him sitting amongst a pile of books, looking over the same flyer Josie had just given her. "Looks like Josie caught you in her trap," Gabby said, sitting next to her.

"Trapped like a rat?" Archie joked.

Gabby found herself smiling. "Okay, she _does_ have a slight obsession with cats, but that's not so bad." She rested her chin in her hand, picking up her own notebook and textbooks, sliding them around the table before gracefully sitting down, being careful to hook her purse off her chair. "I seem to remember someone who used to do nothing but play fairy princesses every day at recess."

Archie's face turned as red as his hair. He leaned back in his seat, fanning himself with the flier. "That…that had nothing to do with me," he finally defended himself. "That was all Betty. She asked me to play with her."

"You didn't have to wear the tutu and the wings."

Archie cleared his throat. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table top, focusing as hard as he could on the textbook in front of him. "Let's talk about something else. Did you do the homework from yesterday?" Gabby lifted her eyebrows but didn't respond. "I'll take that as a 'no'."

"I had too much to do," Gabby defended herself. She didn't add she spent a lot of time researching the new interior her father was going to put into her car after apologizing for missing her volleyball practice again. (Let alone the fact she wouldn't get to drive her car for the near future, her fake ID having been confiscated).

"That's really going to help you get your grades up," Archie said.

Gabby shook her head. "What do grades matter anyway."

"They matter a lot. Gets you into a good college, gets you to go wherever you want to go, do whatever you want to do." Archie shrugged. "It helps you realize your dreams."

A snort escaped Gabby's lips. She pressed her chin to her hand. "My dream right now is to get out of here and go to the mall."

"My point exactly." Archie waved his pencil at her. "'If your grades were okay, you wouldn't be here and would be spending all your money on those Gucci's." He looked at Gabby as she started to giggle, holding her hand over her mouth, doing her best—and failing—to keep her laughter at bay. "What?"

"It's _Gucci_ not _Gucky_ ," Gabby reminded him. "As in, the famous Italian brand of fashion and leather, founded in 1921."

"And you say you're not good at history."

"Only when it comes to things that matter," Gabby mused. She turned her gaze to the ceiling, tapping her finger to her chin in thought. "Clothes, shoes, jewelry, volleyball, my car…" she pouted. "When she was alive anyway."

Archie's eyebrows came together. "We're only fourteen…how were you able to drive?"

Gabby looked over her shoulder, making sure Miss. Grundy wasn't listening to their conversation. She sat at her desk, focused on some sort of database—Gabby could see it reflected in the lenses of her glasses. The first time she wasn't hovering over their shoulders, ready to answer any question that could come their way. "I have a fake ID."

"I won't tell anyone." Archie went so far as to lift his hand and draw an 'X' across his chest, making Gabby smile again. He smiled back, cleared his throat, and picked up his textbook covering his face. "So, let's get to work."

Gabby sighed and turned away. Disappointment smacked her like a freight train; not a direct hit, a head on collision, but a sweeping of the feet from the harsh winds of the train blowing by. What did she expect, really? That he'd _want_ to keep talking to her after being forced to tutor her? After all the times she made fun of him?

School work was as boring outside of class but in it. But Gabby had no choice. Not unless she wanted everything to collapse around her. For the next hour, the two went over their topic in class—the true history of Native Americans. Gabby barely listened to what Archie had to say, making halfhearted attempts at answers when he'd ask her a question, ask if she understood.

Too many things she couldn't ignore, dividing her attention. The party at Pulse Records, needing to get a dress for Homecoming, needing to get a date for Prom, needing for find a dress for _that_ , figuring out what she was going to do to upgrade her car.

Then the thing that was always on her mind; her mother. And what had been on her mind recently; why her father was at the Why her father was at the Whyte Wyrm when he was supposed to be working. And why he was at the Whyte Wyrm talking to a Southsider—and a Serpent at that—when he not only forbade her from going over there, but acting like he and the Serpent were old friends.

"Gabby?" Archie waved a hand in front of Gabby's face. She leaned back, making sure he didn't wipe his hand over her lases, messing up her mascara. "Did you hear me, or did you get one too many hits of a volleyball to your head?"

Gabby rolled her eyes. "Coming from the guy who has a pistol for an arm but won't go out for the football team?" Archie looked at her curiously. "What?"

"Nothing." He shrugged. "Just…I think that's the first thing you've said to me that wasn't insulting."

Panic shot through Gabby's stomach. Quick as lightning. A reflex. "Sorry, Fartchie, I didn't realize you were keeping score."

Archie chuckled. "Guess that didn't last long."

"So." Gabby pushed her books away and turned to face him completely. She crossed her legs, bouncing her foot up and down. "Why not football?" Archie let out a long breath through his nose. Once again, his cheeks reddened, making his freckles stand out along his cheeks. "I mean, unless you think you'll be playing fetch."

Archie rolled his eyes. "Jughead's just…Jughead. He didn't mean anything by it." He paused. "To Reggie, he totally meant it, but—"

"Please." Gabby rolled her eyes. "Like Jughead knows anything about anything, He thinks wearing that stupid beanie makes him stand out when all it does is make him _stand out._ " She could tell Archie didn't know what she meant. "Jughead has a strong opinion on what everyone else thinks is'. He just acts like he's better than anything and everyone in Riverdale because he hates himself so much."

"Well, he does get a lot of pressure on him from his dad," Archie said, almost as a offhand comment. At Gabby's skeptical eyebrow raise, Archie lowered his head and paled. Revealed something he shouldn't have. He let out a long sigh and said, "Jughead isn't as bad as you make him out to be, and he doesn't hate Riverdale as much as he makes it seem. It's just…" Archie dragged a hand through his hair. "His life is hard. His dad puts a lot on him to be better than he's been. He wanted Jughead to go into sports to stay clean. It's not something that Jughead was interested in and he felt that his dad was just projecting."

"Clean?" Gabby repeated. "Somehow, I don't see Jughead's life being as dirty as you're making it out to be." Then again, his father _was_ part of the Serpents.

Again, Archie shrugged. "It's all in perspective," he pointed out. "You don't always see how people really are. Just the way they _want_ you to see them. And even then, that doesn't make a difference. Once they have an opinion on you, that's it."

"And that's why you don't want to play football?"

"Exactly."

Again, Gabby was startled by how easily and honestly Archie answered the question. She took in a short breath and asked, challengingly, "And what about me?" Archie looked at her out the corner of his eye. "What do you think people think of me?"

Archie started to answer. But an ill-timed distraction, straight out of any movie, caused the two to jump. A loud crashing sound. Archie and Gabby whirled around to find Miss. Grundy sprawled on the floor next to the ladder she'd been climbing, books around her, rubbing her back.

 _Humpty Grundy had a great fall,_ Gabby thought before following Archie over to her. The two helped pull her off the ground. "Are you alright?" Archie asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Miss. Grundy replied. She cleaned off her glasses, carefully pushing them up her nose. "Just a little clumsy. I guess I missed my step."

"I don't think you should go back up there," Archie said. His hands dropped to his sides. "Not after you've already fallen."

"Yeah, it doesn't look too safe," Gabby added. She staved off a nasty thought of the floor cracking beneath Miss. Grundy's weight if she fell again. Her eyes shifted down. "Especially not in those shoes." The soles of the older woman's saddle shoes were more than worn down.

"I'm fine, it's fine," Miss. Grundy waved them off. "I'll be okay. I just slipped."

"Let me help you," Archie offered. "There's only a few books that need to be put away."

"Well…if you insist."

"Bonjour, mon amour!" Cheryl greeted, waltzing into the library. She walked up to Gabby, looping their arms together. "Are you ready to get your shop on?" She eyed Miss. Grundy and Archie. "Or you could stay here with the world's funniest comic coming to life."

"Shopping awaits," Gabby replied. "I'm already thinking of my homecoming dress."

"Ooh! Do tell!"

With that, the girls spun on their heel and walked out of the library. Gabby glanced over her shoulder at Archie and Miss. Grundy as they moved the ladder into a safer position. Archie looked up and gave her a small smile.

Gabby smiled back then focused on what Cheryl was saying about the upcoming football game and party at Pulse Records, though couldn't quite focus.

Her crush on that little red-headed boy she'd held onto and kept hidden for years was rearing its ugly head. And as giddy as it would've made anyone normally feel, it filled Gabby with nothing but dread, knowing she couldn't do anything about it.

* * *

Most people in Riverdale disliked Thornhill Mansion; kids were terrified of it, too scared to venture up the winding path and flagstone steps to reach the door of the gothic style house. Complete with its very own graveyard, Thornhill stood out amongst Riverdale's picturesque town. Barns filled with the most purebred horses littered the expansive acreage where the Blossom motto "Radices Currere Abyssi" or "Roots Run Deep" was a constant reminder.

And there was no one who ensured the upkeep of the motto than Penelope Blossom. When Gabby and Cheryl arrived at Thornhill, Penelope Blossom greeted him with her peculiar tight-lipped smile that came to her face when anyone came to the massive mansion.

"It's so good to see you, Gabriella," Penelope said. She smoothed Gabby's hair back from her face, then deftly picked lint off the shoulders of her blouse. "As stunning as ever."

"Thank you, Mrs. Blossom," Gabby replied. Behind Penelope, Gabby rolled her eyes and mimed sticking a finger down her throat. Gabby hid a smile, turning her attention back to Penelope. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm doing very well, thank you," Penelope replied. She turned to Cheryl, keeping a hand on Gabby's hair, gently tapping her fingers against it. Almost as if petting a dog. "You see, Cheryl, this is what I'm constantly telling you. Manners will get you everywhere."

"I assure you my manners can't be rivaled, mother," Cheryl said. Her face hardened, eyes turning flinty. And yet, to anyone who didn't know Cheryl, she looked pleasant. "You remember how I charmed the pants off daddy's board of trustees for the farm."

"I do," Penelope replied. Her voice turned so cold chills ran down Gabby's arms. "They bring it up to me constantly. At how inappropriate you were."

"I simply asked how their lives were moving forward," Cheryl said, voice quivering. "I wasn't the one who decided it was a come on and grossly overstepped boundaries to ask when I would be turning eighteen."

Penelope simply turned back to Gabby, smoothed her hair one more time, then took a step back. "You could learn a lot from Gabriella." She pulled on a pair of gloves handed to her by a maid, wiggling her finger into each section. "Now, if you'll excuse me, your father and I have some people we need to meet. Please try not to trash the house. You know how that upsets me. And don't disturb Nana Rose."

"Yes, mother. I know the drill."

Cheryl rolled her eyes and stomped her way up the large staircase to her room. Gabby scurried after her. She watched Cheryl's tight shoulders loosen with each step away from her mother. When she arrived at her room, tossing her purse aside, Cheryl was all smiles.

"Ready to do some serious shopping?" Cheryl asked, grabbing her laptop and stretching out on the floor. She immediately pulled up a shopping site, navigating to dresses and matching shoes. "I'm thinking I can use some silver in my wardrobe."

Gabby stretched out next to Cheryl. "Your mom sucks," Gabby said, making Cheryl smile. She learned long ago it was the only way to deal with Penelope Blossom, agree with what she said, then bad mouth her as soon as she was out of ear shot. Gabby briefly wondered if Cheryl did the same thing about her, pushing the thought away as quickly as it came.

"Aww." Cheryl placed her hand over her heart. "You so get me."

"Of course, I do." Gabby snuggled up against Cheryl's side. "We're Black Cherry aren't we? It'd be a shame if I didn't hate your mother as much as I love you. And did you see the way she pet my hair? Remember how much she played with it when I had my hair curled?"

Cheryl laughed loudly. "I seriously thought she was going to adopt you."

"Mm. It wouldn't have been too bad. We would've been sisters." Gabby reached out and squeezed Cheryl's hand.

Cheryl squeezed back. "We already are." She used her free hand to motion to the computer screen. "Okay, what about this one?"

For the next hour they shopped and shopped, buying anything that caught their attention until becoming bored, switching to another form of entertainment. Looking over their yearbook, pointing out their classmates and coming up with new names for them. Their friends were always given affectionate nicknames, Midge was always called 'Smidge' simply due to her cuteness. Reggie became 'I-Love-Me' and many more of the same.

It was their other classmates that tended to draw their ire, more from Cheryl than anyone else. Gabby sat back and watched with fascination and mild-horror as Cheryl went down the list of all their classmates to give them new nicknames. "Dilton Doiley," Cheryl said.

Gabby snorted. "His name speaks for himself," she commented.

"True." Cheryl flipped the page over. She reached up and tapped her chin with her finger. "Hmmm…Ethel Muggs…" Cheryl tilted her head back, red hair falling form her face as she thought about it. Then her eyes widened, and a positively radiant smile came to her face. "Fuggs!" Cheryl finally declared. "Because she's too fugly to get a man,"

"I don't knowww," Gabby said, dragging the word out as long as she could until Cheryl smacked her on the leg. "Don't you think that's too easy?"

"Well, Cheryl would know all about that." Cheryl rolled her eyes and the two girls turned to face Jason, who leaned casually against the doorframe to Chery's room, hands slid in the pockets of his jeans, legs crossed at the ankle. The similar pose that was in almost every yearbook and made almost every girl swoon. "Being easy, I mean."

Cheryl shook her head. "You know, it really kills a joke when you have to explain it."

"I just needed to be sure my little sister understood that I was, indeed, making fun of her." Jason gave a tight smile, the smug expression on his face otherwise not changing.

"You're only two minutes older than me, Jay-Jay," Cheryl reminded him. "Don't think that makes you smarter." She lifted a perfectly sculpted eyebrow toward Gabby and said pointedly, "It's positively sickening how one drop of attention from mother and father makes it so that he can't function without attention."

"I didn't know it was Asshole Day at Thornhill," Jason taunted, making his deeper voice as high as possible. Mocking his twin sister.

Gabby laughed, tilting her head back. "Do you seriously listen to yourselves when you argue like this?"

"This is nothing." Jason crossed the room, stepping over Cheryl and lowered himself to the floor next to Gabby. He leaned back against the end of Cheryl's bed and stretched out his legs, resting his weight on one arm. He tilted his head and looked at Gabby with wide, innocent brown eyes. "Wait until we're actually fighting for our parents' attention." His eyes continued to bore into Gabby's as he tapped Cheryl with his toes. "A fight little Cher always loses."

"You only lose if you're playing the game," Cheryl replied. Her words were confident, but her voice was stilted with annoyance.

Jason leaned forward, his lips brushing against Gabby's ear. The movements of his lips made shivers roll down Gabby's side. The heat of his body next to hers filled her with a warmth that simultaneously outmatched the chills. Just like stepping into a warm bath. Jason loudly whispered, "She's just bitter."

"No, I'm just bitchy."

"What's the difference?" Gabby asked, this time making Jason laugh.

Then he reached over and picked up Cheryl's yearbook. He frowned, reached into his pocket for a pair of black rimmed glasses. With a flourish, he flipped his hair from his face and slid them on. His eyes shifted back and forth over the page. "Don't you two have anything better to do than give amusingly accurate nicknames to our classmates?"

"No," Gabby and Cheryl said in unison.

"And besides, there's nothing to do in Riverdale," Gabby reminded him. "What else can we do for fun?"

Again, Jason turned a penetrating gaze to her. This time, his eyes were magnified by the lenses in his glasses. "There's always something to do for fun," he said, words heavily weighted.

"Like Polly?" Cheryl taunted.

Jason's gaze immediately snapped to his twin sister. "Watch it," he said calmly. "You can say whatever you want about anyone else in this little town, but I draw the line with Polly." He kept his eyes on Cheryl and said to Gabby. "You be careful with that one, I know how attached at the lips you are,"–Jason paused for effect, making the two girls roll their eyes once more–" But I don't want to see you get dragged down with her."

"You're my friend, too, Jay," Gabby pointed out. She leaned close to him as well. Made sure he knew how it felt. She fluttered her eyelashes and ran a hand through her hair. "What does that say about you?"

Abruptly, Jason flipped himself over so he was on his knees, face close to hers. "That you have good taste," he pointed out. Cheryl snorted loudly, miming sticking a finger down her throat. Jason got to his feet and backed out of the room, taking the yearbook with him. "Stop going through my things," he said.

"Stop going through my things," Cheryl repeated in a high-pitched voice and an exaggerated roll of her eyes. She stood up, brushing off the back of her red, velvet skirt. "God, it's like he can't take a joke anymore." She pouted. "What's happened to my brother?"

"He's got good taste?" Gabby suggested with a shrug.

"No. No one is better than me for Jason and the world is just going to have to deal with it." Chery looked at Gabby closely. "I know it's hard for you to share me, but I never thought I'd have to share _you_ with Jason."

Gabby laughed in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Cheryl reached to her bed and smacked Gabby across the face with a pillow and teased, "I think Jason likes you."

"Please," Gabby said with a roll of her eyes. She tossed the pillow aside. "Jason likes himself."

"Even still." Cheryl reached out and grabbed Gabby's hands, hauling her to her feet. She smoothed Gabby's hair down with deftly movements of her palms. "You're mine. You're _my_ best friend."

"You know it."

"Now, let's go see what else we can do for some fun around Thornhill now that Jason's decided to be a little buzzkill." Hand-in-hand, the girls left Cheryl's bedroom. Gabby let go and pushed ahead of Cheryl, she took a few steps before sliding on her socked feet to the stairs.

Cheryl quickly did the same. When Penelope Blossom wasn't around, Cheryl acted her age, and even younger. Gabby loved when she was able to get her best friend to have moments like that. It didn't happen nearly as much as she'd liked. Cheryl slid past Gabby, jostling her as she went by.

Gabby laughed and shoved Cheryl's shoulder, causing Cheryl to screech and dramatically grab onto the railing of the staircase. Cheryl reached back and slapped Gabby on the arm before taking off down the stairs once more.

Gabby moved to follow her, but not before taking a glance towards Jason's bedroom. She couldn't help it. It was perfectly situated at the very top of the stairs, a great place, he said, to eavesdrop on everything that went through Thornhill manor. To keep an eye on whatever it was that could be going on.

At the moment, Jason sat in an armchair, reading a book. _War and Peace,_ Gabby could see. How fitting. Gabby watched him for a moment before following Cheryl.

She could've sworn maybe, just maybe, before his form was concealed by the hallway, his eyes had flickered upwards towards her, ruby lips pulling back into a smirk.

* * *

 **A/N:** Gabby must have a thing for red-heads, lol. Either that or she's very lonely. Hint hint, it's the latter. I love writing Cheryl and Jason so much that I'm contemplating keeping him alive. Hmm hmm, we'll see. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, please let me know what you think. Is the pacing too slow? Any other characters you'd like to see appear?

Let me know!

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

Gabby sat up straight, stretching out her back. She rolled her shoulders and groaned softly. She reached up, pressing her fingers into the side of her neck, working the tips of her fingers into the bruises that formed. Two straight days of working on her volleyball technique and she was nearly dying.

Her entire body hurt. Hurt in a good way. Their team was going to be amazing that year. Even Nancy, when she wasn't caught in a snark war with Gabby during their downtime, had certainly improved. She set up spikes for Gabby that were sent sailing over the net beautifully. And Gabby hardly missed any of the set ups for her, even when having to dive across the floor to get to it.

Now she was paying for it. Her muscles screamed as she stretched her legs across the table top of Pop's diner, carefully twisting her feet toward herself so that she could get the perfect stretch to her toenails. Was there anything better than the smell of nail polish on a beautiful, fall day? The smell of nail polish on a beautiful fall day with Pops' burgers cooking in the background.

Even Cheryl was convinced to put her strict Penelope Blossom-enforced diet aside to indulge in some of Pop's world famous—or Riverdale famous—foods. And as they continued to sit there for hours on end, laughing with and at each other when Gabby pulled out her camera to take pictures of themselves and their classmates who came through the door, ready for a good time. The Jukebox on their table was cranked as loud as Pops would tolerate, plates of food filling their table.

"So, what do you think of this polish?" Gabby extended her leg, ignoring the painful stretch of her calf muscle, and wiggled her toes. "Green? Or no?"

"Mm." Cheryl tilted her head. First to one side then the other. She tapped her fingers against her pursed lips. Finally, she leaned back in her seat, eyes squinting a little. "I don't know," She said. "I'm not sure green is a good color for you. I mean," she tossed her hair behind her shoulders, rapidly fluttering her eyelashes. "There's more than enough for you to be positively _green_ about when you have me as your best friend. But for your feet, I'm not so sure."

Gabby tilted her head the same way. Looked at her feet through Cheryl's eyes. Hmm. Maybe. If anything, it made her feet look to be smaller. At least two sizes. And Cheryl and Jason always did tease her about her feet. Just as she was able to tease them about their freakishly bushy eyebrows they had before their mother and father became _so_ into appearances and making their family look like they came straight from a magazine.

"Yeah, you're right," Gabby agreed. She reached for the bottle of nail polish remover and started to dab a wet cotton ball onto her toes, working to remove the polish. She looked up over her table, noticing the disgusted looks from those sitting behind them. Gabby rolled her eyes and raised her voice to say, "'Oh relax, we already ate our food." She waved her hand. "Just go back to your boring miserable lives. Shoo."

Cheryl laughed loudly, her voice booming around the diner. She picked up Gabby's camera and pointed it at her, prompting Gabby to make a funny face, lips pursed and eyes closed, before taking the picture. Cheryl turned her camera around, giggling when she saw the result. She leaned over, handing the camera back to Gabby, who smiled when she saw it as well.

Taking the camera back, Gabby moved her thumb over a few of the settings. "And save," she said. "Perfect to go in the Yearbook, I think."

"More like a personal ad," Cheryl teased, making Gabby shriek in surprise and slap Cheryl hard on the shoulder. Cheryl jerked in surprise, knocking her bottle of nail polish all over the table. Instead of getting angry, Chery laughed, grabbing napkins to clean her mess. The red polish smeared around, looking very much like blood before Cheryl took the makeup remover offered to her from Gabby. "Now, look what you made me do."

"You did that yourself," Gabby protested. "I'm not going to take the fall for you this time."

"Bitch," Cheryl taunted.

"Whore."

"You have to have sex to be a whore." Cheryl gave an exaggerated wink. "Always leave them wanting more, Gabby. That's what I always say."

"In my experience, that's not exactly true," Jason announced his presence. Gabby lowered her feet, sitting cross-legged on the cushion, watching as he slid into the other side of the booth with Polly. His arm held firm over her shoulders, Jason glanced in disdain at the table in front of him. "I think your table manners drives them away faster than your not putting out, which, again,"—he held up his finger—"in my experience isn't quite true."

Polly giggled quietly.

"At least I've got people interested in me," Cheryl said. She finished cleaning the table, tossing the cotton balls and napkins back toward him. "There's more to life than being married."

Polly laughed. "No, not married yet," She said. She laced her fingers together, stretching her arms forward to rest on the table top, cheeks burning red with a flush. "We're definitely too young to get married." Jason positively beamed at her, his smile nearly matching hers almost perfectly.

As if they were sharing some sort of secret.

Gabby's eyebrows rose. She'd seen that look many times before. When Jason and Cheryl were hiding something from everyone around them, becoming lost in their own little world as 'the Blossom twins', captured in many moments of the events and charities they attended on behalf of their parents. It was the same look Cheryl would shoot her across the room when they were separated in class for talking too much.

This time, seconds after Jason and Polly exchanged it, Gabby looked to Cheryl. Cheryl looked back at her out of the corner of her eye. The corner of her lips turned up at the same time Gabby's did. If they were keeping a secret, they could get it out of them. And easily.

"But that doesn't mean it's not on the cards for you, right?" Gabby added. She rested her chin in her hands, locking the two with a firm gaze. Then her gaze shifted to Polly, her stomach clenched. Polly looked back at her, face twitching ever so slightly. "I mean, not that your mother would want that to happen, she does tend to be opinionated, don't you think? And she's not so fond of Jason, is she?"

Polly took in a deep breath through her nose. She moved her hand up to grasp Jason's lacing their fingers together. "Yes, well, what my mother doesn't know what hurt her."

"But the words she'll spew at you when she _does_ find out is what's going to hurt _you_."

Jason then took the opportunity to jump in, after shooting Cheryl a desperate glance. Cheryl merely held her hands up and leaned back, a smirk curling at her lips. It was an interesting conversation and she wasn't going to ruin it. "But she won't find out," he said pointedly. He ran a hand through his hair as Polly shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I know you and Betty had a falling out—"

"—Ha!" Gabby interrupted. Understatement of the year. The fact that she and Betty used to be friends was such a laughable concept to her now. Especially knowing how she had turned out. Exactly as Gabby thought she would, just a little more insufferable than she thought. _Exactly like her mother._

"But you and Polly usually get along, you don't have to give her a hard time."

Gabby flashed Jason a smile. "I'm not giving her a hard time, I'm giving _you_ a hard time." Jason's eyelashes fluttered, watching her closely. "What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't poke some fun at your wife. Sorry, I mean girlfriend."

"I can't imagine why you'd turn down the Vixens. You would've fit right in," Jason said dryly. Polly made an offended sound, elbowing her boyfriend in the side. Jason smiled innocently in response then held up a hand, signaling for a waiter. "Anyway, I'm starting to get a little hungry, you wouldn't mind picking up the tab for me this time, right, sis?" He asked her.

Cheryl's eyebrows twitched upwards. "What's the matter? Get cut off by daddy again?"

"Again, would have to signify it happened a first time," Jason shot back.

"And we all know Jason can do no wrong," Polly said. She rolled her eyes. "Once we were talking in class and _I_ was the one who got in trouble. Even though he was the one who was practically shouting across the room from me."

"That Blossom charm works like magic," Cheryl crowed.

Jason flittered his eyes towards Gabby, making her look away. Instead, she looked out the window. Spotted Archie, Jughead, and Betty walking along in the distance, heads lowered against the wind chill, hands shoved into the pockets of their jackets, and still having what appeared to be the time of their lives as they laughed while walking along. Jughead and Betty then waved goodbye to Archie as he cut across the street in the direction of his father's construction company, backpack bouncing along his back as he went.

"Well, what can I say? Us Blossoms can be persuasive when we need to be," Jason said.

"Don't remind me," Polly groaned. "I don't know how you managed to talk me into going to that…" Gabby watched Polly's reflection wave a hand, while trying to come up with the words for it. Her face screwed up in disgust. "fancy party you guys throw every year.

"The Blossom Maple Syrup Ball," Gabby, Jason, and Cheryl all corrected in unison.

"Yeah, that," Polly agreed. She leaned into Jason's side, pressing a kiss to her boyfriend's cheek. "But if it means I get to spend even more time with my gorgeous boyfriend, then I can deal."

"Sure, up until you walk through the front door and mom sees you two together," Cheryl pointed out.

Jason snorted. "And you think mom's not going to freak out when you walk through the door with Gabby? We all know how she felt about you and—"

"—We're out of here," Cheryl interrupted. Abruptly, she slid out of the booth and stood, flicking her credit card toward her brother, who caught it in his hand. "We've got more important things to do than sit here and watch you two all but pro-create here on the table in front of the miserable faces of Riverdale."

"Even though I'm sure you wouldn't mind the audience," Gabby added.

Bored, Jason rested his cheek in his upraised palm. "Coming from the girl who makes sure she has an audience for _everything?_ When was the last time you did anything on your own?" He sneered at Cheryl over Gabby's shoulder.

Gabby did her best not to let the weight of his worlds fall on her. Tried not to think about the many times she was alone. How often she tried to _avoid_ being alone for that very reason. That was the point of a best friend, wasn't it? Though, at the moment, Jason was being anything but if he was throwing it back in her face like that.

"I'm glad you're worried about the status of my social life, Jay." Gabby reached under the table, yanking her stilletos out from beneath Jason's feet and balanced against the table to put them back on before carelessly sweeping her nail polish, cotton swabs, and polish remover into her purse. She could buy another one if it stained. "How long did it take for you to crawl out of Polly's bed today?"

Jason's eyes widened with an expression Gabby couldn't quite place. He sat up straight, ignored Polly's wide-eyed look toward him and said, "Gabby—"

"Come, come." Cheryl grabbed Gabby's wrist. "We mustn't keep our public waiting." She hitched her purse over her shoulder. "You better not charge so much to my card, Jay. I don't want to have to talk to mother and father about the questionable ways you enjoy your time."

Jason scowled at her.

Gabby stood and looped her arm through Cheryl's, the two sauntering out of Pops', brushing past Dilton Doiley and Ben Button, nearly slamming them into the door of the shop as they left. "Look, but don't touch!" Gabby snapped as they breezed past.

"Ooh, how positively nasty of you," Cheryl practically purred, tightening her grasp around Gabby's arm. "Do my eyes deceive me, or do you have something you want to get off your chest?"

"No," Gabby said shortly. She shook her head, brushing the loose tresses from her face, tucking them behind her ear. "But I want to shoot something."

"You took the words right out of my mouth."

* * *

Gabby walked through the front doors of firing range and walked up to the desk. Her eyes swept over the pictures of the celebrities that'd stopped by the gun range and took a picture with the man. Not celebrities that any would know, per se, but those that actually left Riverdale and made names for themselves. Mr. Malloy stood proudly next to each one, arms around their shoulders and protective goggles on their faces.

Gabby couldn't help but notice in the earlier pictures his daughter, and her classmate, Jinx Malloy smiling brightly along with them. As time went on, Jinx appeared gloomier than ever, almost dreading to be in the photos. Not that she was so surprised, Jinx certainly lived up to her name, Gabby couldn't remember a day going by without Jinx tripping over something, dropping something, smashing into something, or having overall bad luck.

That plus guns was probably not a good idea.

Mr. Malloy glanced up from the magazine he read to look at Gabby and Cheryl. His eyes turned toward the ceiling before he said, "How many times do I have to tell you that the next time I see you I want to see you with adult supervision."

Gabby flashed a sweet smile. "I haven't needed adult supervision in years, Mr. Malloy," She said. "And you know how busy my daddy is…" her voice trailed off, circling her finger along the glass case that showcased the numerous pistols and shotguns inside. "Making sure you get as much advertising as you can for the hunting season." She turned to Cheryl, placing her hand on her shoulder. "Your father shops exclusively here, right?"

"Yes, every hunting season my father, Clifford Blossom, makes a generous purchase to ensure that the Blossoms and the board of the Blossom Maple Syrup have an enjoyable hunting season with the best artillery they can afford."

Gabby tried not to burst out laughing when Mr. Malloy rolled his eyes. Not only was Cheryl's use of the word 'artillery' funny in general, she couldn't remember the last time she'd paid enough attention in class to know anything about war tactics, but because of how exasperated Mr. Malloy was.

He lowered his gaze to Gabby and said, "You're going to be the death of me." He pointed at her. "No, the high amount of stress you put on me will be the death of me."

"My mom said you'd keep an eye on me," Gabby reminded him.

"But I also don't think she meant for you to come in here as you please. Your father—"

"—My father doesn't care. He thinks it's great I know how to defend myself." Gabby paused and added. "Besides, it's better I do it here rather than out the back of my house where _anything_ can go wrong." Like anything really could go wrong. A gun was an extension of her body. She took it more seriously than life itself.

Had it drilled into her head.

Almost literally. She could remember the times her mother took her along to the gun range, prancing along in a bright pink dress, a Barbie doll in one hand and her mother's hand in the other. Smiling excitedly up at her as she put the gun together and explained everything that went along with it.

 _"The world can be a cruel place, Gabby, I want to make sure you know how to defend yourself."_ And that was shortly before she started Gabby through the rigorous training to keep her in shape. For Volleyball, Julia explained, watching Gabby's progress over the years. Gabby frowned, remembering the days of having to miss get togethers, whining pitifully when her mother wanted 'one more set' of push-ups after she completed each one. Had her count out and weigh her food on scales. Woke her up early for volleyball drills and speed drills before school.

It was all worth it in the end, she'd progressed with volleyball and her general fitness much quicker than anyone before. Found herself happy with the body she grew into through puberty. Strong and lithe with just enough curves and muscle to keep the boys interested but not too intimidated.

It all seemed so worth it, even if it meant having the same conversation with Mr. Malloy every time she stepped foot in the shop, with or without her father.

Nevertheless, Mr. Mallow finally relented. Gabby knew he would. She'd been to the gun range by herself since she'd turned twelve. Riverdale was a safe and wholesome place, hardly anyone batted an eye when doors were left open and unlocked, allowing neighbors to come and go as they please. What difference did it make when the children of Riverdale got into their own ideas of fun? And besides, it Dilton Doiley, who had a fascination with guns, could wave one around with his Boy Scout troop, what did it matter if she got some practice in?

Once Gabby and Cheryl walked through the doors that separated them from the range to the lobby, Gabby's mind moved mechanically. She knew everything that needed to be done and executed it flawlessly. First goggles on. Then ear muffs. Then she set her weapons on the counter, separating the pieces from each other; bullets, magazine, pistol. Ensured the safety was on. Counted out all the bullets she wanted. Set her target up on the clips and flicked the knob that sent it as far down the lane as possible.

Cheryl perched on a seat behind her, lifted a magazine she'd brought with her, absentmindedly flipping through the pages. "So, we've got the nail polish choices down. What are you going to do about your dress?"

 _"Now, pay attention, Bug. When you fire the gun, you do have the chance of the casing flying back at you. It'll be hot. But that's okay, it'll only sting for a second."_

Gabby snapped the magazine into her pistol, holding it carefully at an arm's length. She tilted her wrist backwards, looking to see if there was a round in the chamber.

 _"The gun may jam. Never point it to yourself if that happens. Just stop and look for me. I'm always here to help you, baby."_

Gabby lowered her arms to her side, kept her finger away from the trigger. Steadied herself. No matter how many times she was used to firing the weapon in hand, it always took her a second to work her nerves out. Almost as if it was her first time again, hiding behind her mother's legs and peering out, flinching at every slight sound, wondering what would happen if her mother missed. But Julia never missed.

She shot a bullseye with every deft move of her hand. So skilled that while the gun jumped in her hand, it only moved a fraction, red burst of fire blooming from the front, like a rose blooming from the Earth. The hard expression on her mother's face melted into a cheerful smile when she brought back her target and Gabby cheered her mother on, clapping her hands together, Barbie forgotten on the floor.

"Gabby."

"What?" Gabby continued to stare at the target at the end of the range.

"Your dress," Cheryl repeated, laughing at the confused look on Gabby's face. She reached out and shook Gabby's arm. "What color were you thinking?"

Gabby, for a second, was about to snap at Cheryl. About to yell at her for shaking her when she had a dangerous weapon in her hand. She never distracted Cheryl when she and Jason were at her archery lessons. Instead, Gabby sucked in a deep breath, relieved that she had the foresight to leave the safety on, then turned her attention down the range. Her target was as far back as she could make it, less than a challenge, she'd mastered it years before.

" _Now, make sure when you're shooting that you don't have any distractions around you. Just listen to my voice. Make the gun the extension of your arm. Make it your own finger. Hold the gun between your hands, your left hand cupping your right and slowly squeeze the trigger."_

Gabby tried not to tear up as she heard her mother's voice, the last of her advice. The same as it always did when she was at the range. Could hear her soft, soothing voice as she explained all the steps to her daughter. A different tone than the one that she typically spoke to her only child with. Expecting. Militant. Holding at a certain regard. Reminders that she had to get good grades, had to be at the top of her class, had to be the best volleyball player, the best at everything. Had to keep the 'Rush' name going.

Not many husbands took their last name after their wives, but Julia Rush was a woman who knew what she wanted, with her husband standing by her side with support along the way. When their daughter was born, they were both overjoyed, knowing they wanted nothing more than to give her the life she deserved. It was planned for Julia to leave the military shortly after Gabby's birth. Unfortunately, life never worked out the way anyone wanted.

Gabby took in a deep breath, closing her eyes to steady herself. Focused on her mother's words, on the dog tags that hung around her neck, gently rising and falling with each of her breaths. Finally, Gabby opened her eyes and one by one, emptied the chamber of her pistol, sending a hole into the target in rapid succession.

Out the corner of her eye, Gabby noticed Cheryl flinch with each blast, bringing her hands up to cover her ears despite the bright red ear mugs she wore. Gabby finishing firing off the gun, set the gun back to safety, pulled the magazine apart, and reached to the knob on the wall that brought her target back to her.

Gabby smiled.

Five perfect shots.

Turning to Cheryl, Gabby was ready with her answer. She wanted to say, "I'm thinking of red" but knew it was a bad idea. Red was Cheryl's signature color, the _Blossoms'_ signature color. Even Jason would be wearing a red bow-tie, even if Polly's dress was a dusty blue. So, instead, Gabby said, "I'm thinking purple."

A combination of the deepest reds and the coolest blues.

Perfect for the occasion.

Now, she just needed a date.

* * *

 **A/N:** So sorry for the wait, had a lot of stuff going on. But I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm always thinking of new things/interactions within the Riverdale cast while keeping Gabby's story moving forward. I hope you continue to enjoy. And they needed to have a good, happy chapter at least once, right? Good for characterization and development. At least that's what I tell myself, lol.

Also, _guest_ , thank you for your suggestion, Reggie will be showing up more.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

"Piece of crap car," Gabby murmured as she stomped up the street to her home. She really needed to get it fixed. Or else, find a new car. She already had a few in mind that she would could buy and have delivered in a few minutes. But it was the principal of the matter!

Her car was her baby and she'd wait for her baby as long as it took. Even if that meant getting a massive blister on the bottom of her foot having to walk home from the bus stop because Cheryl was too bus with her horse riding lessons to drive her home. She felt bad about it, really. Since leaving Pop's, the two had gone back to Thornhill just in time for Penelope to curtly tell her daughter in no uncertain terms that if she missed another riding lesson she was a disgrace to the family.

It killed Gabby to see how quickly the smile that'd been on Cheryl's face fell. Just about as quickly as she dropped Gabby's arm from hers. Then it was gone, replaced with the stoic expression that Gabby had unfortunately seen so often that it didn't surprise her. Cheryl's shoulders rolled back, she lifted her chin, and she spoke in a calm, clipped tone that sent a shiver down Gabby's spine.

Cheryl turned to Gabby with a thin smile saying, "We'll just have to get together later, Gabby. I'll call you, okay?" And she grabbed Gabby's shoulders, pressed an air kiss to each of her cheeks, and dutifully moved to her mother's side.

Penelope looked at her with an air of disgust before turning a winning smile to Gabby and said, "Please come visit us again, Clifford and I will be glad to have you and your father over."

"I'll let him know, Mrs. Blossom," Gabby said. Penelope's tightlipped smile tightened even further. Gabby could see the lines around her lips deepen, making Gabby take a step back. Cheryl disliked her mother, but Gabby was afraid of her. Something about the woman was very off-putting to her, no matter how nice and doting Penelope could be to her.

Or maybe that was it, Gabby thought as she left Thornhill, walking all the way back to her house. Maybe it was Penelope's doting on her that freaked her out. As if she were trying to take her mother's place. Gabby's grasp tightened against the strap of her purse, focusing on the throbbing of her hand, her nails digging into her palm, rather than the throbbing on the bottoms of her feet.

Cheryl and Jason were her best friends. They were like family to her. The three of them may as well have been triplets as far as anyone was concerned. But… _No one's going to take my mom's place,_ Gabby thought.

She sucked in a deep breath through her nose, slowing as she reached her house. Tilting her head, she looked up at it, studying it closely. The same house her parents had lived in for years since having moved from LA to the small town after starting their advertising business. Why they'd want to leave the big city to go to a town that barely knew how to keep their noses out of each other's business, she wasn't sure. But something about Riverdale had kept the Rush family there and together.

Until they weren't.

The mansion, which used to look picturesque was slowly starting to become dilapidated. She couldn't remember the last time her father had taken a day off work to help the painters and landscapers keep up the front of the house, something he enjoyed doing more than life itself. He loved getting his hands dirty and being a big part of the picture they showed the world. It now looked dilapidated. Still as big and grand as the other houses on the block but looked to be covered in a layer of grime.

Gabby pursed her lips then ducked her head. Just something else that fell by the wayside as her mother's work affected them. Gabby continued toward the front porch, whirling around when she heard an engine growing louder and louder. She watched as a motorcycle shot down the street, weaving back and forth as it shot up the street, unable to keep control. She winced, waiting to see it crash into one of the immaculate mailboxes that lined the street, but the rider kept the bike upwards, balancing it carefully between his legs.

The bike turned the corner and Gabby's eyebrows furrowed, seeing the serpent emblazoned on the back of the jacket that fluttered in the wind. Why would a Southside Serpent be on the Northside at that hour? Everyone knew that as soon as the sun started to go down, everyone stayed on their own sides of the city. The only refuge for them being Pop's that was open for them; though as Gabby had seen a few days before, the Whyte Wyrm appeared to be the Southside's hangout of choice at night.

The better question was, what was a Southside Serpent doing in her neighborhood? It wasn't as grand as Thornhill and its surrounding neighbors, even a step lower than where the Andrews and Coopers lived—as Gabby begrudgingly had to admit, not wanting to give Betty a slice of an inch in case she'd find herself run over.

Again.

As she unlocked the door to her house, Gabby couldn't help but think about the night at the Whyte Wyrm that her car broke down. When she found her father there. He certainly had seemed surprised to see her. But was he surprised to see her because he was guilty? Or because he honestly never thought she'd go over to the Southside for any reason whatsoever and catch him on his secret meetings? He sure seemed to be at ease over there.

 _Gabby sighed once more, she was doing that a lot lately. She picked up her purse and moved to go back to her car, preferring to drown than deal with any more of the Southsiders. She didn't want to know what would happen if any of those guys leering at her decided to become emboldened to talk to her._

 _She started to turn away, ready to run at a moment's notice when a familiar face caught her attention. Eyes narrowing, Gabby watched the man. Watched as he smiled and laughed with another man nearby, waving a beer bottle back and forth as he did so. The man across from him—middle aged, very tall, big build with long, straight brown hair and blonde highlights. A trimmed beard with some gray in it. A hoop earring on one side, and a nose ring along the same—grinned and held out his hand toward the first man._

 _The two men shook hands and nodded, as if finishing some sort of a transaction._

 _Gabby finally found her voice. "Daddy?"_

 _Stephen Rush whipped around at his daughter's voice. His eyes widened when he saw her before he composed himself, by her side in a second. "Gabriella, what are you doing here?" He asked. His voice was low, hand tight on her arm. Gabby gulped. Gabriella. She was in trouble. "Why are you all wet?"_

 _"My car broke down," She said._

 _"Are you okay?"_

 _Stephen pulled her closer to him and looked around the Whyte Wyrm, glaring at any man that looked their way as if ready to rip their throat out. Gabby felt a warm rush of protection from her father. Though she was still mad at him._

 _"I'm fine," Gabby said quickly. "What are you doing here?"_

 _"That's not important right now."_

 _"You missed try-outs."_

 _Stephen paused. His face fell. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go home."_

 _Gabby wanted to kick and scream, throw a temper tantrum, demand to know why he was at the Whyte Wyrm, who the guy was that he was talking to, why he had to be there to miss her practice, why he was always gone. Wanted some answers._

She still didn't have any answers. And knew she wouldn't get any more, when she stepped into the house that day. Her movements; taking off her heels, dropping her purse to the ground, and tossing her keys aside for the maid and butler to pick up later, echoed loudly throughout the front of the house. The house keeping staff kept out of the way for their work to be done almost invisibly. Honestly, Gabby never liked that. She begged and pleaded with them to play with her when she was young, but they waved her off with a kind smile, saying work had to be done.

As she grew older and Gabby found entertainment in herself and the Blossoms, the house seemed to become even more raucous. A simple sneeze or cough sounded like a bomb went off in the otherwise quiet home. Something that'd make visitors jump and start with fright while Gabby moved on without a backwards glance.

Undeterred, she went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water and a bottle of soda from the fridge before going into the living room. She found her father sleeping in his favorite chair as usual. Two beer bottles sat by his chair. Gabby looked at it and tilted her head to the side. Two beer bottles.

Not so strange by any means.

But the brand was never sold on the Northside, only on the South. It came up in the news a lot, when local burglaries and rabblerousing came about. Riverdale reported on every move the North and Southside made when it came to the divide between the two halves of town. Even down to the types of food that was shipped in to each side of the town, with the Southside continuing to cry that they weren't getting their fair share or the same quality of foods.

 _Was that Serpent here?_ Gabby tried hard to remember who the guy on the motorcycle looked like and found herself unable to recognize anything but the serpent jacket. Which didn't help at all considering every member of the gang continued to wear it with pride.

Nevertheless, Gabby pushed the thought aside and curled up onto the arm chair with her father, setting the soda and water bottles on the floor next to the chair in case he woke up. But Stephen Rush continued to snore quietly as Gabby leaned into his side, bringing her knees up to fit in the crook of his arm. She draped his arm around her then picked up the remote, changing to the channel that continuously showed movies with happy endings.

A happy ending was what she could use. And for the next few hours, she continued to lay next to her father, steadying her breathing to fall in line with his, watching each movie protagonist find their happy ending in true love or with a new family. All of which she wished she'd had. No one would understand how lonely it was to keep up appearances that everything was so great on the outside but crumbling to dust on the inside.

No one but Cheryl, who was continuously cast aside for her brother in every way. And yet, was one of the best people Gabby ever knew. The first time Gabby broke down about her mother not being around, Cheryl had immediately dropped all the makeup she was putting on her face for that year's ball, wrapped Gabby up in her arms, and let her cry it all out, missing the big night and not saying another word about it. Not even about the bruise that poke from beneath the sleeve of her shirt the next morning.

She simply bounced over to Gabby with a bright smile and presented her with a bouquet of red roses that she'd picked from the Blossom garden. She must've said something to Jason about it, too, for he was nicer to her than he'd ever been before going off to hang out with 'his boys'. But Cheryl stayed by his side, snapping at everyone that came too close to her best friend.

Gabby wanted to do the same for Cheryl, worked hard to do it. But how could she get anything out when Penelope and Clifford Blossom were constantly waiting in the wings of Thornhill, ready to use what was ever said against them? When Nana Blossom was always nearby in her wheelchair, withered face staring into space despite knowing everything that happened in the house?

Gabby pushed the thoughts away and wrapped her arm around her father's waist, rubbing her cheek against the sleek dress shirt he wore. Breathed in his calming scent. She smiled, feeling her father's arm tighten around her as he woke up a little, shifting over.

"Hey Jellybean," he murmured.

Excitement swelled through her. He called her jellybean. Her favorite nickname from him. "Hey daddy," she replied. And that was that, the only interaction they had as he fell back asleep. Gabby studied his face as he slept, suddenly worried about him. There were more lines in his face that she remembered, more bags under his eyes, more gray hairs that he tried in vain to cover with a hair dye that was slowly starting to fade. He worked so hard, worked hard to keep things going for her. She appreciated it very much but…

Gabby leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her father's cheek before leaving the chair. She grabbed a blanket from the couch and tucked him in before taking her bottle of soda and went to her room. She walked on the balls of her feet, wincing as her blisters stretched up the hardwood stairs, practically limping when she went to her room.

She just made it to her room when her phone rang. Gabby pulled it from her pocket and immediately put it to her ear. "Did you get tired of riding your man already?"

"Gabriella?"

Gabby paused, hearing her mother's voice in her ear. She immediately bypassed the shame she should've felt for speaking so raunchily to her mother, bypassed the surprise, and immediately went to emotional. It felt that her heart stopped and started at the same time. A painful, hard beating in her chest. She felt warm all over. Tears immediately came to her eyes as she oved a shaking hand to cover her mouth.

"Mom?" she whispered.

Her emotion was immediately reduced to rage when a hand shot out of the darkness, grabbed her phone and turned it off. Rather than feeling fear that someone had been waiting in her darkened room for her, instead of running screaming to her father that someone had broken in, instead of getting herself further from danger, Gabby grabbed the volleyball that sat by her bedroom door and heaved it at the figure standing in front of her.

The figure cried out as he was smacked directly in the face, the ball ricocheting into the wall. Gabby flung herself forward and wind milled her arms into her would-be assailant—she recognized it as Jason the second she moved across the room, her rage intensifying in seconds.

"That was my mom!" Gabby shrieked, continuing to smack him. Tears fell down her cheeks. "You hung up on her! Why would you do that?" Jason continued to deflect her blows, all the while Gabby continued to shriek and wail on him. When her arms grew tired, she punched him hard on the shoulder and backed away from him. "Why the _hell_ would you do that?" She growled.

"I'm sorry," Jason apologized, voice sounding nasally. Gabby's eyebrows rose, her chest continued to heave as she worked hard to catch her breath. "If it helps at all, I think you just broke my nose." Gabby grunted. "I promise, I'll make it up to you."

"That was my only call for the _week_ , Jay! You _know_ I'm always looking forward to those and I don't know when they're going to come!"

"I'm sorry!" He repeated. "I'll make it up to you." He tried flashing the famous Blossom look that made all the girls swoon. Usually, it worked to have Gabby forgive him as well, that time she merely glared at him. "We need to talk."

"How'd you get in here, anyway?"

Jason gestured vaguely toward her window. "I climbed in through your window."

"Okay, _Dawsons's Creek,_ you're not Dawson and I'm not Joey so I'm going to have to ask you to refrain from using my trellis as a ladder to climb in whenever you please." Gabby pointed toward the window. "But you can use it on your way out. If I don't push you out, myself."

"Gabs, this is serious."

Gabby waved a hand and continued toward the hallway. She heard Jason moved behind her. His hand reached around her and pressed against the door, slamming it shut. He grasped her arm and whirled her around, pinning her to the door. Gabby swallowed hard, looking up into Jason's eyes. They burned against the darkness of the room, a shadow casted over his handsome face.

She wanted to turn on a light to push the shadow away. As attractive as Jason was something about the shadow was unsettling to her. Half his face hidden behind a mask of darkness, hiding nearly as much as Cheryl could when the time came.

Seeing him in the light would make things a bit easier.

It'd be easier for her to punch him again and make sure she broke his nose that time.

"How'd you know?" Jason asked. Gabby lifted an eyebrow, unsure of what he was talking about. Silence stretched between them. When it was obvious she wasn't going to respond, Jason grasped her shoulders, pressing his fingertips into her collar bones. "I need you to tell me, Gabs. How'd you find out?"

Gabby squirmed under Jason's grasp. "Find out what?" She asked irritably.

She froze when Jason put his face close to hers. It was the most serious she'd ever seen him. His eyes burned like blazing coals in the darkness of her room. "How'd you know Polly was pregnant?"

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's the end of the first arc of the story. The next arc is more about Gabby and Archie as well as other Riverdale characters but mostly focusing on Gabby and Archie. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Gabby stomped through the backyard, pulling her knees up as high as they could, yanking the heels of her stilettos out from the ground. When that didn't work, and she raised herself up to her tiptoes to keep from pressing her weight back onto her heels, she shook her head.

It was no use.

Her heels were ruined, no point in worrying about it now. Cheryl seemed not to, either, as she sashayed her way across the grass to the hammock that sat stretched by the Rush's large pool. Gabby tilted her head, watching as her friend lowered herself into the hammock, sitting prettily, crossed her legs at the knee, and oh so carefully twisted so that she lay draped across the netted rope.

Gabby placed her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrows when Cheryl put down her bottle of tanning lotion and carefully rubbed it between her palms before moving it over her chest and arms. It took a moment for her to notice Gabby watching her, and Cheryl slowly turned, lowering her sunglasses to peer at her best friend over the top of it.

"I know I'm a work of art," Cheryl drawled. "But you don't need to stare." With that, she leaned back on the hammock, being careful to stretch her legs out, popping up her outside leg so that it bent at the knee, showing off the definition in her calf.

 _Her better side,_ Gabby thought with a wry smile. Nevertheless, she pulled out a phone and took a picture of her best friend, sending it off to her social media profiles and receiving a flood of likes. One of which, was Cheryl's.

"Brava, my dear." Cheryl golf-clapped, after resting her phone on her thighs. "You got it all; the right angles, the perfect lightning, the contrast with the pool…" she reached out and tapped Gabby's arm when she moved to sit next to her. "You've got the Chery Blossom seal of approval."

"I thought I already had that."

"Then, I love you even more."

"If that's even possible."

Cheryl's red-stained lips parted to show off her bright teeth, prompting Gabby to do the same. It made her ignore, just for a moment, the amount of work that was ahead of her for later that night. That night was the biggest opening football game for the season. Whomever decided to have Riverdale High face Southside High so soon must've had some sort of sadistic pleasure in knowing the game was going ot be severely one-sided.

Then again, Gabby heard nothing but whisperings that Southside High was going to do everything in their power to beat Riverdale. The Northside weren't particularly worried, Gabby, Cheryl, the River Vixens and the football team did nothing but laugh at the mere idea of being beaten all week.

Cheryl, of course, simply had her mind on the first performance of the River Vixens for the year and the party to be thrown afterward. It was tradition, the River Vixens putting together a party for the football team after the first game of the year, win or lose. (Though they won more than they lost).

Gabby flipped her own pair of sunglasses over her eyes, adjusted her bikini and angled her face towards the sun in just the way that'd make her a tad bit darker. Just enough. She didn't need the direct sunlight, her skin absorbed it faster than a sponge soaked up water. But the more sunlight, the more she sweated, and the more she sweated, the better the chance that her natural hair under her hair would expand into the beginning stages of an afro and she didn't sit for hours in the salon just for it to be ruined within a few minutes of tanning.

"So, did your homecoming dress come in yet?" Gabby asked.

"Yes." Cheryl's voice was clipped, punctuated with the sharp fap of the magazine page she violently flipped. "But my dear _mother_ got a hold of it before I did and decided it wasn't something I deserved to have."

Gabby lifted an eyebrow.

"It appears my math grade isn't as high as she'd like it to be. Like my mother cares about my math grades. She hardly cares about me as it is."

Gabby continued to watch Cheryl, who sighed a cleaning breath, bringing a hand up to run through her hair. Her eyes zeroed in on the dark bruise that sat on the underside of Cheryl's arm, easily hidden by the sleeve of the long, thin robe she wore over her suit. "To go with my aesthetic," she explained when Gabby questioned her about it if they were going tanning.

It was a mark that could've easily been mistaken for brushing up against the dresser in Gabby's room when Cheryl was doing last minute work on the Vixens' routine. But Gabby knew what it truly was. As much as Cheryl tried to cover it, it was difficult to cover the markings of fingers hard pressed into the skin.

Lowering her gaze, Gabby looked down at her own arm, gently rubbing her fingertips against her wrist. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but she could still feel the curl of her mother's fingers around her wrist, dragging her to stand—back straight—in the corner of her room whenever she misbehaved.

"I expect more of you, Gabriella." A distant Julia Rush said. In her mind's eye, Gabby could see a younger version of herself, head tilted down, pigtails bobbing as she quietly cried, following her mother's footsteps to the corner of the room. "Hey." Julia knelt down, grasping Gabby's wrists, forcing her daughter to look at her. "No more tears. You're a soldier, remember?"

Gabby nodded.

"What was that?"

"'I'm a soldier," Gabby replied.

"And?"

"And I'm strong."

"Alright." Julia stood and directly Gabby into the corner. "You can come out when time out's over. Don't you dare move until then. I want you think about what you did, Gabriella."

"Okay, mommy."

The same grasp on her arm, reminding her to be on her best behavior, to be her best self when her mother's fellow officers were around. And Gabby would stand between her mother and father, smiling her precocious smile as wide as she could, knowing she'd be rewarded in some way once the boring meeting was over.

What she'd give just to have her mother to even stand next to her again. To look at her with pride the same way she would when she did something right. And that was taken away from her.

"Are you sleeping over tonight?" Gabby asked instead, brushing aside the memory that flooded her mind, and, once again, ignited her rage towards a certain Blossom twin.

"I don't know, are the help still going to be here tonight?" Cheryl's question was punctuated by a loud drill filling the air, making birds that perched on nearby branches of the trees surrounding the pool take flight. Cheryl flinched, bringing her magazine up to cover her head in case there was any loads dropped onto her.

"Not if they work fast enough," Gabby replied. She rolled up her magazine and swatted Cheryl on the leg, making her squeal and bring it away. "And it's _your_ fault we need them here in the first place." Cheryl widened her eyes as far as she could. "Don't play innocent with me."

And the girls collapsed into giggles, remembering the last party that Gabby had thrown. A rager that was typical for a Friday night in Riverdale. And typical for someone who's father worked late with his clients nearly every weekend, taking them out to dinner to 'smooze and booze' them as Stephen explained. It went the same as usual, drinks abound, hooking up in almost every room, and a football player becoming a little too excited with the reenactment of a game—or maybe a premonition of what was to come with the Southside High game—and rammed a shoulder through a wall…and the railing of the stairs…and something happened to the basement toilet she wasn't quite sure of.

Enough so that the damage was extensive, expensive, and her father had nearly blown his top. But Stephen had never really been a disciplinarian and although he looked at his daughter with exasperation, he hadn't said much about it. Just called up a construction crew, slapped down a check, and disappeared to work.

"They should be done," Gabby said. "They've been working on it for days now."

"God, how do you sleep with all that noise?"

"I don't."

"Well, I didn't want to say anything about the bags under your eyes but you said it, not me." Cheryl smiled. "I'll be sure to bring some of my best products so we can have a spa night."

"Mmm." Gabby nodded in agreement. She sat up and said, "Midge and Josie said they can come. I'm sure the rest of the Pussycats will come, too. And I think some of the volleyball girls will show."

Cheryl didn't move an inch, but Gabby could immediately see the change in her demeanor. Her shoulders rounded forward, almost caving in on herself, the sides of her face tightening as she clenched her jaw together. Then she smiled, one of the fakest smiles Gabby had ever seen.

Gabby sighed, knowing what was coming. _Nothing's ever good enough for her,_ the thought shot through Gabby's head before she could stop it, immediately feeling guilty. Cheryl didn't have a lot of friends, people obviously cared to hang out with Jason more, it wasn't too bad if she were selective of the people that held her time and attention, was it?

"I mean, they could," Cheryl drawled. "But it'd take years to get them to look like they even know what a spa is, let alone a makeup brush." She slouched further in the hammock, abandoning her perfect posture and added, "And I thought _you_ were a project."

"I wasn't _that_ bad," Gabby defended herself.

She was actually quite cute, if she said so herself. Dressed in some of the best kids' clothing department stores could offer as she and her parents got settled in Riverdale. That is, until she saw how glammed up Cheryl and Jason were, even for second grade students. Higher end clothing, even the tracksuits Jason wore were mimicked by some of the guys as the days went on; Cheryl's brand name skirts, dresses, and overalls were imitated within hours.

And Penelope and Clifford Blossom stood by with the smuggest of smug smiles among the parents that stood around, waiting to pick up their children at the end of the day. Cheryl, ever a Blossom from such a young age, marched up to Gabby, grabbed her hand and said, "I'm your friend now. Let me help you."

Little Gabby's nose wrinkled, a giggle escaping her lips as she said, "Help me? With what?"

"Your outfit."

And Gabby laughed, as if Cheryl made the funniest joke in the world. Cheryl, on the other hand, dragged the young girl to her house, barking to her parents that they had a friend coming and to let her parents know, and showed off her closet. Her expansive closer that may as well have taken up an entire room.

And Gabby showed Cheryl that getting her clothes dirty and actually running around at recess was fun. It didn't take her too long to find out that it was Cheryl didn't have anyone to play with at Recess other than her brother.

A match made in heaven as it were.

"And, anyway, who doesn't know how to swing across the monkey bars?" Gabby asked. "Or that they were even _called_ monkey bars." She paused, feeling a twinge in her stomach.

 _"Apt name for a girl who likes to run so loose."_

Gabby's upper lip curled. She could still remember the same vitriol those words were spewed at her. She remembered the way her heart dropped, the humiliation seizing her muscles, rooting her to the spot. The way she, Cheryl, and Jason looked at each other in confusion, unsure of what the words meant. Then she saw the way her mother's and father's faces went slack. Saw the fire that brimmed in her their eyes and, for the first time in her life, was afraid of her parents.

Of what they could do.

Of what they were capable of doing.

She wasn't stupid. She knew they had a lot of money and that people fell all over themselves to impress her parents because of it; how many 'potential clients' had they brought to the house with their kids in tow for her to have a play date with, how many times had they been to fancy dinners where she had to wear itchy dresses and tuck a large napkin over her lap and be on her 'very best behavior'? Not to mention getting everything she ever asked for Christmas. She wasn't entirely spoiled, she _did_ still have chores to do—though their previous team of butlers and maids did help out a little.

But she'd never seen that money wasn't the only thing that made them powerful people in the world. If looks could kill, the looks they gave that day would've murdered everyone standing around as soon as the words were said.

She shook away the thought, feeling Cheryl's hand press to her knee. Gabby lifted her chin and watched as Cheryl took off her sunglasses and tapped them against her lips. Then she sighed and said, "You know, Jase is really sorry for what he did," she said.

Gabby looked away. She hadn't told Cheryl the whole story of why she was so angry at Jason. Couldn't without having to explain what was going on with him and Polly, not after she-promised not to say anything.

"How'd you know Polly was pregnant?"

"Polly's pregnant?" Gabby repeated, gaping at him like a fish.

Jason faltered. His bravado immediately fell. His eyes had darted over Gabby's face, trying to figure out whether or not she was lying. Sure, Gabby joked about them having babies and being the 'future perfect couple of America' but only joked about it. Honestly, she never thought Jason to be so stupid. There was to be an heir to the Blossom family fortune once Jason was old enough to pass it on, that much was obvious.

But for it to be so soon?

Honestly, the Blossoms would probably have a field day as quickly as they'd lambast Cheryl for being a slut if they were in the same predicament.

Jason left quickly after that. Gabby hadn't spoken to him since then, though he did everything he could to apologize for hanging up on her mother. Did everything he could not to talk about _that_.

"And I'm sorry, too," Cheryl continued. She squeezed Gabby's knee. "I want nothing more for my best friend in the world to be happy and you're not. I know you miss your mom and if there's anything I could do to help, I would do it for you."

"I don't know." Gabby leaned back in the hammock, making it rock side to side. "How do you feel a bout a first-class trip to Afghanistan?"

"I don't know, camouflage doesn't look good on me," Cheryl said, nose wrinkling. Then she grinned. "But it looks amazing on you. I can already picture it, my best friend being a badass babe in camo, alongside her gorgeous mother. Reunited in times of woe." She clasped her hands to her chest. "I can see it now."

"I've tried," Gabby murmured. Her eyebrows furrowed together. "I try to picture her being back here. What life is like. My dad would be happy again, he wouldn't work so much…wouldn't drink so much so he didn't notice she was gone. Wouldn't…"

Wouldn't what? Continue to ignore her? Pretend that everything was okay when they went to events together? Pretend that everything was okay when he was out on the town? Act like they were the closest a man and his daughter could be when they corresponded only through post-it notes. Wouldn't act like buying her everything she wanted wouldn't make her question why he was on the Southside with the serpents?

Wouldn't…notice how much time she spent with the Blossoms at Thornhill because she was so…

"No need to cry, Gab, your bestie is here," Cheryl said. She reached out and wrapped Gabby in a hug, resting her head atop of Gabby's, understanding everything Gabby didn't say in only the way a best friend could. "You're not alone. You know I love you more than life itself and I won't let anything happen to you. If I have to commander my parent's pilot to take you to your mom, then I'll do that."

Gabby shook her head. Willed the tears that stung her eyes to roll away. She hadn't cried in a long time.

She was a soldier.

She was strong.

And she was lucky to have her best friend know when she was about to break and put the pieces back together.

Cheryl continued to hold Gabby, gently stroking her hair and back. Gabby grasped her elbows and held her just as tightly. Needed something, _someone_ to hold onto when her own father, the only other person who would understand, wasn't there.

"Gabriella!"

Gabby jerked back, startled at the sound of her name being called across the backyard. Her sudden, jerky movement made the hammock rock back and forth before sending the two girls, screaming, to the ground. It took a second of stunned silence, a pile of tangled arms and legs, before Gabby and Cheryl burst out into hysterical laughter. Laughing hard enough for tears to run down their cheeks, streaming their mascara. Once they wiped the tears away, they noticed the blades of grass stuck in each other's hair, pointed, and started to laugh all over again.

"Gabriella! Come here, please."

Gabby got to her feet, smoothed down her hair and, still giggling, went up to the house, where her father stood in the doorway to the backyard. He held the tracksuit she set aside out to her and Gabby quickly put it on before shoving her hands into the pockets of the jacket. She tilted her head back to look up at her father.

Without the teary, red eyes, her father was very handsome. Could probably have any woman he wanted. Even in Riverdale he made sure to dress nicely; jeans and cowboy boots were a staple of his wardrobe, but button down shirts rolled up to his elbows and ties hanging loosely around his neck still made his aura of quiet power radiate in waves.

"What's going on, daddy?" She asked him, trying to appear as innocent as possible in case he found out about the overdrawn credit card she was trying to hide. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, something came up and I have to go into the office," Stephen explained. The corners of Gabby's mouth immediately turned down. "But I need you to keep an eye on these guys and make sure that things are finished today." He gestured towards the construction going on around the house, men walking back and forth, carrying drills and tools. "And to lock the doors once they leave."

"And, maybe, get an expansion on my closet while they're at it?" Gabby asked with a cheeky smile.

Stephen rolled his eyes. Shook his head. "What more space do you need, Gabby? It's alright half the size of your room."

Gabby shrugged. She reached up and scratched the back of her head. "I need to update my wardrobe sometime."

Again, Stephen shook his head. He looked behind Gabby's shoulder toward Cheryl, who stood up, brushing blades of grass off her arms and legs. "I blame you for this," he called playfully. "She was just fine before she met you!"

Cheryl simply smiled and waved back.

"Just keep an eye on them, alright," Stephen explained.

"You got it" Gabby saluted.

Stephen smiled, stepped forward, and pressed a kiss to Gabby's forehead. Then he led her into the house, pointing out everything that needed to be finished and what was currently being worked on. Gabby's eyebrows rose as she listened, guilt rolling through her stomach. Here she was, wondering if she could get an expansion on her closet and trying to hide an overdrawn credit card when her father had to deal with thousands of dollars of damage she and her friends caused.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, but you know these guys." Stephen made a funny face and mimed twirling a finger beside his head, making Gabby giggle, before he left the house.

She didn't move from her spot, watching the door her father left through. Left through walking in a straight line, not using his arms to keep himself upright, keep himself from slamming into the walls as his feet were unsteady. Truth be told, she'd never tell her father he'd put as much damage into their house as her parties did.

He didn't need that added stress.

Not when he already had so much on his plate.

"Hi, Gabby."

Gabby whirled around at the sound of her name. Her eyebrows knitted when she spotted Archie standing in front of her. Her eyes roved over the helmet on his head and the tool belt wrapped around his waist, hands covered in gloves…that he was taking off to wipe his palms on the sides of his jeans.

"What are you doing here?" Gabby asked, unable to keep the surprise from her voice. She quickly masked it with a smug tone, tossing her head towards the backyard. "Come for a free show?"

Archie's eyes widened in surprise. He looked at the men that passed by around him, almost as if thinking the worst, then shook his head. "Uh…" He gestured around him. "Your dad contracted my dad to help fix up the damages…I came along to help him." He pulled off his hardhat, running a hand through his hair. "And, uh, Jughead, too."

Gabby snorted at that. There were only a few things in life she couldn't imagine, and one of those things were Jughead Jones doing any sort of construction work. Let alone coming out his dark and brooding cave to do anything that would require use of his hands for more than writing a novel.

"Should I expect Betty to be around here somewhere, too?" She asked.

Archie tilted his head, eyes searching Gabby's. "It's just us," he said, sounding as if he'd wanted to say something else first. Then he frowned, changing the subject. "Just me and Jughead."

Gabby nodded. "Another way for him to 'buck up', right?" She asked, remembering what Archie had told her about Jughead and his father before. "To be more of a man."

He shrugged. "More like, he didn't want to be around his father right now. A lot of stuff going on that Jughead didn't think would be smart to be around…" he trailed off. The answer was obvious. Serpent stuff.

Stuff no one should know or talk about.

Gabby nodded. She could understand that. Her father was the same way. He still hadn't said anything to her about being around the Serpents that night, and Gabby hadn't brought it up. She was curious, but the darkness that heaved over him when she tried was too much to bare. Very similar to the darkness that followed them home after the monkey bar fiasco.

"So, I heard you had a party," Archie said. "That caused all the damages and everything."

"Mm. I thought that was a secret."

"In Riverdale?"

"Good point."

Archie smiled. "I also heard it was how Moose hurt his head?" A brief pause before he added, "Not that it's any different for Moose, never seems to wear a helmet when he really needs it."

A sly smile came to Gabby's face. She folded her arms, locking her gaze on Archie's. "I thought you didn't know much about football. But you seem to know a lot about the guys on the football team."

"You know Reggie, as much as he loves himself, he loves the boys on the football team. Doesn't talk about much else in the locker room." Archie spun his hardhat in his hands. "And, he keeps saying I should join the team."

"Have you thought about it?"

"No." The shifting of his eyes betrayed him.

Gabby tilted her head, hair moving from her face. A dimple appeared in her cheek as she smiled. "Are you sure about that? I'm sure if Reggie keeps asking, you've thought about it a little."

A flush moved over Archie's cheeks, making his very light freckles stand out. "Well, I don't think a lot of people can imagine me being on the football team, you know?" He shifted his hardhat, moving it in front of his stomach, the bit that protruded over the top of his tool belt, lowered his chin.

Gabby pursed her lips. He didn't want to try out for the football team because of what other people would, think. Of what other people would say. _Or what he thinks of himself, _Gabby thought. She ran a hand through her hair, folded her arms once more. "You know, you never answered my question." At Archie's confusion, she prompted, "What people think of me?"

"Oh."

"Mhm."

"Well, well, if it isn't Archie Andrews," Cheryl drawled, a bright smile on her face as she sashayed into the kitchen. Gabby looked at her, watching Cheryl's eyes laser beam onto Archie. The interruption wasn't and accident. She knew it was done on purpose. She'd probably been watching long enough. Cheryl's quick look at her confirmed it. "What are you doing here? Trying to get a glimpse at your future?" She draped her arm, almost possessively, over Gabby's shoulder. "Or are you trying to get your rocks off like the rest of the pervs around here?" She flicked her chin towards the older men that glanced at the teenagers, passing back and forth through the rooms.

Archie looked at Cheryl, then to Gabby, then back to Cheryl, then landed on Gabby. He parted his lips, shook his head, thought better of it.

"I have to get back to work," Archie said, gesturing behind him.

Gabby lifted an eyebrow. She pursed her lips, sighed, brushed her hair back from her face. "Just don't scratch anything," she said, more for Cheryl's benefit than his. It wasn't what she wanted to say at all. No, she wanted an answer to her question. More importantly, his answer. "I'm sure you can't afford to replace it."

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm finally getting back into this chapter after a while of being away and while I'm excited to work on Archabby, I've thought of starting this story over again. I feel there may be better ways for me to get the story across but…I'm still determined to see this through, even if it means editing past chapters. If I _do_ edit them, I'll let you all know.

Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

"Okay, so with this dress…" Midge pushed her magazine across the lunch table, pointing to a low-cut champagne colored dress the model sported, seductively glancing over her shoulder as she twisted her body toward the photographer. "I'm thinking if I pull up the hem a little bit, I'll be able to keep from tripping all night."

Cheryl lifted her eyebrows, taking a quick glance over the page. She leaned back, shaking her head in disinterest. "And what will you do to keep your dear old mother from having a heart attack?"

Midge shrugged and exchanged smiles with the rest of the River Vixens. "Nothing, that's the point," she said and started to giggle. Gabby laughed along with them. Midge's lips pulled back into a smirk as she added, "And, of course, I'm sure Moose will love it."

"Moose will love it _off_ you more than _on_ you," Gabby teased. She nodded toward the turtleneck that Midge almost exclusively wore, even under the River Vixens uniform she wore that day, ready for the first football game of the season. "If that's anything to go by." Her smirk widened, and she pretended to cover her mouth as she said, "Rumor has it, Midge would've needed more to cover after spending some time with Moose at my party." Her eyebrows twitched upwards. "I didn't know Moose's could make that sound."

Midge batted her eyelashes as the girls around them started to squeal at the scandalous news. She placed a hand to her chest and said, "I don't kiss and tell."

"Believe me, there was more than kissing going on," Gabby said. She looked to Cheryl, who looked back at her with rapt attention, spurring her forward. "And I found the evidence. I'm just glad it wasn't my dad who found it. Or else he would've made good on his threat and taken a gun to Chuck's head."

"At least Chuck would be getting _some_ action," Cheryl said. She heaved a fake sigh, closing her own magazine and pressing it to the table top of the outdoor cafeteria. "I feel sorry for him, really. A man can only go so long without getting something before he gets bored."

Gabby rolled her eyes. "Believe me, the last thing Chuck gets is bored. He'll find someone else to take care of him when he needs it."

Cheryl's eyes flashed, her lips curling with mischief. Gabby braced herself, knowing what was coming next. Frustration rolled through her stomach, knowing she set herself up for the embarrassment that was seconds away from coming. So much so that when Cheryl parted her lips, Gabby simply put on the blank look she'd perfected over the years.

"Gabriella Rush, are you saying you're a virgin?" She asked.

Gabby was aware of the curious looks Midge, Tina, Ginger, and the other River Vixens were sending her way, looking her up and down as she did so. Gabby glared at Cheryl then, who simply tossed her hair over her shoulder and continued to smile. Not that it was anyone else's business, but Cheryl knew Gabby was a virgin. Not that Chuck hadn't tried to hook up before, though backed off every time Gabby said so. He'd tried to pressure her once and stopped the second Gabby whipped him around and put him in a headlock.

It worked then, Chuck had been a scrawny thing before bulking up for the football team. Now, she was sure he'd be able to pin her down with ease, no matter how well she knew how to defend herself. Her mother had beaten it into her head, "It doesn't matter how well you know how to defend yourself, a man is always going to be stronger than you. You have to be careful of the situations you put yourself in."

And Gabby had nodded earnestly, wanting to soak in everything her mother said before she was deployed once more. Not that she thought she'd be attacked or anything, she spent too much time with Jason and Cheryl to have to worry about it. Not like she'd have to if she were on the Southside.

"Well, we know _you're_ not a virgin, Cheryl," Gabby shot back. She noticed Cheryl's eyes squint ever so slightly. She was going to get it later. But she had no patience for Cheryl's teasing that day. Not when Cheryl had already been putting the others down so much for a simple dress choice. And that was just a dress. Anything more serious, like whether Gabby had had sex, was an off-limits topic she wouldn't even bring up with her mom. "Or else that trail of broken hearts behind you is because you're a prude."

"If there's anything a Blossom isn't, it's a prude." Cheryl made a show of winking to the girls, making them all laugh. Gabby waited for a second, ensuring Cheryl wasn't in fact angry at her, before making an expression that betrayed the knowing smile she had in her head, making the girls shriek with laughter. "The Blossom family make it a point to spread their wild oats to continue the famous and pure bloodline that would continue to ensure the sanctity of Riverdale."

"So, should we nominate you for student body president _now_ or do you want to come up with another campaign speech?" Ginger teased.

Cheryl pursed her lips, tapping her finger against them. Gabby groaned, shaking her head. "Oh God, Ginger, you started something. Next thing you know, she's going to give us a uniform where the rest of us have to dress like her or get kicked out of school."

Ginger then sent Gabby a snooty look, her upper lip curling into a sneer. "Don't you already do that?"

In response, Gabby curled her lip, in an expression similar to Ginger's—and Tina who sat next to Ginger—but with bared teeth. She didn't make the expression a lot, Cheryl had immediately shut her down from doing it when she was frustrated with a bad volleyball practice, but had to throw it out when she needed to make a point. Ginger took one look at her face and immediately lowered her gaze to her tray.

Nevertheless, Gabby couldn't help but snottily add, "At least I don't follow Cheryl around like a dog, jumping at the chance literally kiss her ass," she hissed. She leaned toward Ginger and Tina, "Or is that the part you enjoy? Kissing her ass? Are you jealous of the amount of time we spend together? Do you have a thing for Cheryl?"

Midge let out a nervous laugh. "Come on, guys, we're supposed to be talking about homecoming remember? Are we meeting up at Thornhill or just meet there?" She picked up her magazine and buried her face into it. Her eyes peeking over the top, lined with her long lashes, broke the tension and made the girls laugh.

Gabby tucked her hair behind her ears and shifted on the bench, clearing her throat. She stretched her legs out, being careful to keep her heels from sticking in the grass. "We can meet at my place—"she started.

Cheryl immediately interrupted. "No, we're meeting at Thornhill. Jason and the rest of his football buddies are going to get ready there and mom already has everything set up."

She dropped her hand to her lap where, beneath the table, she twisted her fingers together. Gabby gently nudged Cheryl with her shoulder, giving her a reassuring look. Cheryl lowered her head and smiled softly in response. It didn't matter what they planned, Penelope and Clifford already had their plans set up for homecoming.

Especially if it was going to be as big as the year before. The Blossoms certainly made homecoming a dance to remember with the money they put into decorations, transportation, and entertainment in exchange for their name on the dance and the ticket fee for the dance going to the Blossom Maple Syrup company. Gabby wasn't exactly sure how that managed to work out, but it had been a good dance from what they'd seen.

Jason and Polly had gone together and were, of course, named Homecoming King and Queen despite a good race from the seniors. _Chances are they'll be named King and Queen again this year_. _That is, if people don't find out she's pregnant,_ Gabby thought. _Who would want a pregnant teen as Homecoming Queen?_

Almost immediately she felt guilty over the thought. Jason was her best friend and he and Polly had been fairly nominated the year before. Unlike Cheryl, he had a lot of people who were actually his friends, not afraid of him. Enough support to have people want to nominate him for the role. Cheryl on the other hand…Gabby look at her other best friend out the corner of her eye. She wasn't quite sure what Cheryl would do to make sure she got the title as well. Something she was sure Cheryl was already conspiring for. If she became Queen—the King didn't matter—then she'd finally have something in her mother's eyes that was coveted.

Something she strived hard for and always failed at.

"But that's alright," Cheryl continued, perking up once more. "That just means we can have the best party to get ready for the dance!" She threw her arm around Gabby's shoulders, pressing a kiss to her cheek that made Gabby laugh. "It already takes hours to look _this_ fabulous, imagine how long it'll take to get ready for a dance."

"Especially with how often she changes her mind," Gabby murmured, brushing her hand over Cheryl's shoulder. " _How_ many dresses have you bought and returned so far? Five."

"Seven," Cheryl said quickly. "None of them have the exact shade of red I need. I'm thinking of going to New York and see what the shops there can do for me. If Hiram Lodge can practically buy out 5th Avenue, then imagine what they can do for me." She grasped Gabby's arm and batted her eyelashes. "Will you go with me? Please? Pretty please? I can't go without my lovely best friend."

Ginger smirked, pressed her lips together, then gently spread them, making a sucking sound. Gabby gave her the stink eye in response, pulling her hand up to give her the finger, but Cheryl immediately swatted her hand away.

"Honestly, don't be so uncouth," she scolded her friends. "We're having a party and all of you are invited. Stop acting like children." She took another discarded magazine from the middle of table. "Speaking of parties, you should've seen what happened to Gabby's house. How long did it take for the construction company to finish everything?"

"Long enough," Gabby murmured, looking away from her friend.

After Cheryl had interrupted hers and Archie's conversation to taunt the redhead, she and Cheryl had gone back to her room to watch TV all the while the sounds of construction filled the house. Every now and then Gabby would go down to check the status of the construction as her father asked.

She'd give a quick note every now and then but otherwise stayed quiet. She ignored Jughead every time he came near her, just as she did to him. There was nothing to say to each other when they were outside of school, no snarky ammunition for him to make a sanctimonious and pretentious comment on. He simply kept his head low and did whatever Fred Andrews asked him to do.

Archie on the other hand, seemed to look at her nearly every time her gaze was drawn to him. She hated how easily she did it, too. Because every time she did, he'd give a small smile back at her, a smile so contagious she couldn't help but smile back. Seconds before remembering that Cheryl was there and she'd practically turn pale, looking away again.

An even more vicious cycle than thinking of her mom, feeling the pain of missing her so much, then acting like nothing was out of the ordinary until her mother was far from her mind, ready to wiggle back to the forefront at even the slightest mention of her.

The fact that she liked Archie wasn't the problem, the fact that she couldn't do anything about it wasn't really a problem. The fact that Cheryl and the rest of Riverdale High would never let her forget it if it ever got out. The social hierarchy—as ludicrous as it was—couldn't be ignored. Especially when that hierarchy wasn't regulated to the high school but to Riverdale as a whole.

"They were still working by the time I left," Cheryl said. She eyed Gabby closely. "Must've been a long time, the bags under he eyes look even worse today than they did before." She moved to take her compact mirror from her purse. "See for yourself?"

Gabby held up her hand, ignoring the sting of embarrassment as Ginger and Tina giggled quietly behind their hands. "I already got the horror show when I woke up this morning," she joked lightly. Nevertheless, she didn't want to know what else Cheryl could come up with and stood. "'I've got a volleyball meeting to go to, I'll see you later."

"Tootles." Cheryl waved her fingers toward Gabby. "I'll be sure to let you know what you miss." Her eyebrows twitched upwards. "Especially if these bitches still can't figure out the dresses they want to wear to the dance. I need to give ultimate approval by the end of the week."

Gabby tapped Cheryl on the top of the head. "Hey Cherry, you're still forgetting that we need dates."

Cheryl smiled but kept her eyes on her other friends. Gabby chewed her lower lip, suddenly worried she'd said something wrong enough to be stonewalled like that. But Cheryl said, "That's the last thing we need to worry about Gabs. Right now, we need to focus on looking good."

Gabby shrugged and stood, moving to take her tray inside to return it to the bin. She nearly crashed into Reggie on the way there, turning the corner, with his hand up by his face. He jumped backward, startled when he noticed her, and feigned running a hand through his hair.

"Gabs, hey, I didn't see you there," he said. Then he held out his hand, gently patting her atop her head. "Sorry about that, you have to get a bell or something so we can see you."

She slapped his hand away. "Don't touch the hair," She remarked. "Do you know how long I have to sit in the salon chair to make this look good?" She smoothed her hair back into place then got a good look at his face, noticing his scratching at his eyebrow. Her shoulders slumped. "Did it happen again?" She asked.

Reggie looked at her and forced out a laugh. "This?" He motioned to the dark bruise around his eye. "No, that's nothing! I just got hit with a football during practice!"

"Aren't you supposed to wear a helmet?"

"You know how Moose gets. Once you get him going, he can't stop. Like a bulldozer!" He thumped himself on the chest and winced, rubbing his sternum. "Those Southside creeps won't know what hit em'." With that, he side-stepped Gabby and went down the hallway at a quick stride. She watched him over her shoulder as he went, frowning.

There were many open secrets in Riverdale; the divide between those who were for Mayor McCoy's run for re-election and those against, those thinking Mrs. McCoy spent too much time trying to make Josie bigger than she was, how nearly everyone in the city hated the Blossoms, how the Southside was filled with druggies and girls becoming pregnant in their teens, how the Northside had their own fair share of darkness. And the worst of them all was how easily those in the Northside could hide things in plain sight.

Gabby turned back to the tray return, sliding her tray inside, being sure to keep from chipping the new color of polish she'd put on with Cheryl to pass the time as construction went on. She turned it her way, making a 'tsk' sound with her tongue when she noticed there was already a small chip. Well, a quick trip to the nail salon after school wasn't out of the question.

It'd be a good way to have some time alone for once.

"Some people are afraid of you." Startled, Gabby lifted her chin and saw Archie standing in front of her, looking at her curiously. Gabby lifted her eyebrows, offended. She parted her lips and started to shoot out a rapid-fire response but Archie beat her to it. "You asked me what people thought of you; some people are afraid of you."

Oh. That. "And, you're not?" She asked. Archie tilted his head. "I asked what you thought of me, not what everyone else thinks. I know other people hate me."

"They don't hate _you_ , they hate Cheryl." That didn't surprise her in the slightest. There was a reason Jason was the more popular Blossom twin. Archie smiled awkwardly, taking a step back. He looked toward his feet, tugging down the bottom of his shirt, as if to hide himself. "But Black Cherry is attached at the hip so…" he cleared his throat. "No one really gets the chance to get to know you."

Gabby shrugged. "There's not much to know."

"I don't believe that. There's always something to know about someone."

"Well, aren't you the Boy Scout. Ready to have some of your meetings out the back of your pedo van?" Her words were biting but her tone didn't hold the same sort of venom it normally would have if Cheryl were next to her. As it was, she felt a little off-kilter with Cheryl not beside her. With Archie there instead. She was trying to be herself, but even she didn't know who she was.

Archie gave a humorless smile. He turned his head away, looking at her out the corner of his eye. "You don't really know what to say without Cheryl in your ear, huh?"

 _Hit the nail on the head,_ Gabby thought. She, normally, wouldn't have the guts to say something so polarizing without Cheryl there to give her some of her invisible strength. But with so many other people milling around…Gabby shook her head, feeling her lips pull back into a smile. "You're a lot smarter than you look."

"Well, I _am_ tutoring you," he replied easily, teasingly. Gabby laughed quietly. If only he knew. Archie smiled back. Then, again, he cleared his throat awkwardly, pulling the bottom of his shirt down. "I guess I'll see you later. Betty and Jughead are waiting for me."

She nodded and watched him walk away for moment. "I'll meet you in the library," she said. "Later today." Archie paused, looked back at her, smiled, nodded, and continued toward the cafeteria.

Gabby's skin tingled the moment Jason's hands landed on her shoulders, enticingly dragging down to her wrists. She wasn't sure how she knew it was Jason but could tell the moment he leaned over her shoulder.

Or maybe, intuitively, she knew from the way Archie glanced at her from across the hall, his eyebrows rising, dark eyes shifting over her face before moving just to the left. From the way they flickered downward for a second before he lifted his chin and gave a nod, backing slightly out of the lunch line, turning his attention to whatever Betty was telling him.

Jason's breath tickled in her ear, making butterflies erupt in a fiery volcano of, of what—guilt?—as he whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"

 _Whatever a Blossom wants, a Blossom gets,"_ Gabby thought.

She was really starting to hate that.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you, Vince and Rois, for the kick in the pants I needed to get back into writing this story. Not that I've forgotten about it, but that it wasn't my current focus when it came to my fics. So, thank you for your reviews, I hope this one is received as well as the others have been.

Also, you wanted some more of Reggie, well, you've got that and Midge and some of the River Vixens. And, of course, Archie and Gabby. I hope you all enjoyed despite the wait! There's some more revelations that tie into season 1 coming up!

Ugh, as much as I already love Archabby, I'm interested in JasonxGabby, too.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

Whatever had made it so that most of Riverdale High showed up for the football game, the game wasn't exactly it. Or maybe it was the idea of an easy win that made most of the student body, even those that tried to keep themselves from the Friday night lights found themselves in the crowd.

Which was why Gabby was only a little surprised when she saw Jughead sitting at the top of the stands, looking at the field with an air of disinterest, a book clasped tightly in his hands. His eyes flickered over the field before he shook his head and buried his face into the book. Beside him, Archie and Betty shook their heads, smiles coming to their faces as they looked over the field.

Gabby noticed that and the bustling crowd as she took a quick break from looking over the football field through the lens of her camera. More specifically, it was a quick break from having to watch Cheryl go over her routine with the River Vixens time and time again. To keep from having to nod and smile and say, "It was good," to every question Cheryl asked.

"What about this move?"

"It was good."

"Really? Do you think it would've looked better at the end?"

"Cheryl, it was good."

"I think I might put it at the end. It's a real finisher move."

"Cheryl!"

Polly turned towards the red-head with a plastered-on smile. The same sort of smile that all the River Vixens had to keep on when they were out in public, in the River Vixens uniform. Or, rather, what they had to keep on at all times. It was no wonder they were always so crabby with each other, having to keep up happiness that long would've easily given Gabby a headache from how quickly her smile would turn into a grimace.

 _Faking the happiness, though,_ Gabby thought, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jean jacket. _That wouldn't be too hard._ Her breath condensed in front of her face, a quick cloud in response to the sharp breath she'd sucked in to Polly's sudden whip-turn toward her. Even Cheryl quickly cut herself off, watching Polly with an air of cool detachment.

Polly's expression relaxed into one of compassion. "Your moves are great," she said, placing her hand on Cheryl's shoulder. Cheryl stared back at her. "Everything you've come up with is great. I understand you're nervous, but you don't have to be." She shook her head, blonde ponytail bobbing as she did so. Her smiled widened. "It's the first game of the year, no one's going to be paying attention to us." She shrugged, brushing her cheek with her shoulder as she turned and waved a pom-pom toward the field. Jason waved back. "No one important, anyway."

Cheryl's cheeks reddened. Gabby sucked in another sharp breath, her shoulders instinctively moving up towards her ears. Gabby didn't miss the cool tone; the hint of humiliation Polly was throwing toward Cheryl. A mainstay of being the head cheerleader to being the co-captain. If Cheryl's eyes were green, they would've been emeralds when it was announced after try-outs that she'd been bested another year in a row.

"I just want to be sure this night is perfect." Cheryl tossed her own ponytail over her shoulders then patted the non-existent flyaways into place. "The world is a stage and we always have to make sure we're the best."

"It's a high school cheerleading team. There's plenty more that's important than being popular or messing up one cheer." Polly squeezed Cheryl's shoulder then stepped back. When she turned away, she missed the look Cheryl shot Polly and the eye-roll Gabby responded with, complete with miming sticking a finger down her throat. "Relax."

Cheryl flashed Polly a smile that stretched so tightly Gabby could see the lines around her mouth deepen within seconds. It faded into a snarl the second Polly turned her back and went to help out Midge, who was slowly moving through the steps of their routine. Only minutes away from starting off the game.

"Slut," Cheryl hissed, facing Gabby completely. Her eyes flashed. "Everyone knows she's the captain because she's sleeping with my brother."

Gabby's hands tightened on the top of the fence that separated them. Her dark eyes roved over Cheryl's face, wondering if she knew the truth about her words. Decided against it when she saw the pure vitriol on her best friend's face, saw the vehemence in her eyes. "You don't know that. She's really good, Cherry."

"And I'm a saint." Cheryl brought up her pom-pom, waving it in Gabby's face so that it tickled her skin, like little itchy kisses against each part of her face. Gabby giggled quietly. "I come up with all the moves and she just takes the credit, mooching off my brother's popularity."

"Why do you care so much about Polly anyway? Everyone knows you're the best on the team."

"I know that." Cheryl then gestured with her pom-poms toward the audience, nearly smacking Gabby in the side of the head as she did so. "But none of these people know it! They act like Polly's the best thing that's ever happened to this school when she was nothing before Jason started paying attention to her." She folded her arms. "He can take it away in seconds and then where'd she be? Damaged goods."

Gabby sighed, bringing up a hand to rub her forehead. A headache started to pound at her temples though she couldn't honestly say whether it was Cheryl or the thumping of the marching band's drummers that were doing it. It was hard, keeping secrets from Cheryl, but she knew what would happen if she said the truth. That Polly was pregnant. That Cheryl was going to be an aunt.

Maybe if she knew she'd be nicer to Polly. Maybe she'd lighten up a little bit.

But a bigger, better part of her knew how unlikely that was to happen. Once Cheryl was on the warpath…and it seemed that Gabby was directly in Cheryl's line of fire the second she'd decided to speak. Cheryl's eyes sparked once more, a fire as red as her hair that made Gabby gulp and take the tiniest of steps back.

"Sorry, am I boring you with my diminutive insignificant problems?" Cheryl placed her hands on her hips. "Am I taking away from something more important, Shutterbug?" She then placed her hand to her chest. "When my entire social career is coming to a halt right before my eyes. And _you_ don't care!"

Gabby briefly glanced toward the sky, taking in the darkened sky against the bright lights of the football stadium. She lowered her gaze once more, squinting amongst the sudden change in lighting. "I know you're stressed right now," she said. "I'm going to get you a funnel cake."

"With strawberries!" Cheryl barked to Gabby's back as she walked away.

Gabby shook her head, the heels of her boots crunching against the grass, heading toward the food concession stand that'd been set up. She walked through the growing crowd of spectators. She noticed Toni, Sweet Pea, and Fangs, immediately catching Toni's eye, heading in opposite directions. Gabby immediately averted her eyes, the same any Northsider would do when coming across Southsiders.

They ignored her as much as she ignored them. All but sticking her nose in the air as she made a show of lifting her chin as she walked by them. Toni's eyes shifted to her, she chuckled and shook her head, but kept going. Gabby was sure she heard Sweet Pea—or was it Fangs? She didn't really care—mutter 'Northside Princess' under their breath.

Gabby shifted her attention back to the task at hand—funnel cake, as soon as the sugary scent filled her nose.

"Funny seeing you here."

Gabby looked up to see Archie inching at her side, jostling toward the back of the line. Gabby lifted an eyebrow. "Why?" She couldn't help the biting remark shooting out of her like a bullet fired from a gun. A instant response she didn't have to think about. "Don't think I can be interested in football?"

"I didn't think you were interested in any of this food," Archie replied. "You and Cheryl hardly eat any of the food in the lunchroom, you usually bring your own. Or complain about what the lunch ladies give us. Can't say this is much healthier."

"You'd know wouldn't you?" Rather than being offended, the side of Archie's mouth turned up. "Besides, I'm getting some funnel cake for Cheryl. She doesn't like people to know, but it's one of her favorite foods."

Then Archie's look turned into a mixture of amusement and mild confusion. "Why wouldn't she want people to know that?"

"Because it's Cheryl." Gabby reached up and adjusted the beanie that sat over her hair. "When does anything she does make sense?" A chill went up her spine and she looked over her shoulder, eyes darting around. She could've sworn Cheryl was glaring at her. The chill felt the same. Or maybe it was her paranoia. "Don't tell her I said that."

"Secret's safe with me," Archie said easily. They stepped forward in line. "I also won't tell her that you decided to slum it with me."

Gabby rolled her eyes, ignoring the stab of…something in her stomach. "We're in line getting food, I don't think it'll be a problem." She eyed him. "I mean, unless _you_ have a problem."

He held up his hands defensively. "I don't. Just…giving you an out if you wanted to go ahead of me in line or something. Make it seem like nothing's going on." Gabby was silent. _Was_ something going on. "Believe me, I get it. You don't want to encourage Cheryl's wrath."

"Yeah…" she quickly changed the subject, noticing the wad of bills in his hand. "Are you really going to get all that?"

"It's for Jughead," Archie explained. "One of everything at the stall."

"Why's he here anyway? He hates football." She remembered what Archie had told her about it before. "He hates large social gatherings." She paused. "He hates _everything_."

"Yeah, but I convinced him to come. I thought it'd be good for him. But, you know Jug, he said something about the banalities of life is encapsulated in the game, showing us something about who is going to end up a success and who would end up stuck here." A funny look came across his face. "It's a bit more depressing of a thought for football. He doesn't get it."

Gabby took another step forward when the line moved. She briefly glanced toward the field as the blowing whistle signified the start of the game. She looked at Archie out the corner of her eye, wondering why he wasn't rushing to get back to his seat if he liked the game so much. He didn't seem to be too hurried. _He wants to talk to you. He said other people were afraid of you,_ Gabby quickly pushed the thought away, irritation surging through her.

"So, why are you here?" He guessed. "Cheryl, right?" Sounded less sure of himself when he added, "And Jason?"

The question made her frowned, irritation growing as she snapped, "Why?"

"You don't really seem into it." He gestured around with his hand. "That's all."

Gabby blinked at him. Chewed her lower lip. Leaned toward him as if to divulge a secret so heinous she couldn't let anyone else hear. "I know absolutely nothing about football," Gabby admitted. But if she was going to be Cheryl's friend, going to be an honorary River Vixen because Cheryl said so, she had to attend the games. Archie's eyebrows rose. He smiled. "You don't look surprised."

Archie shrugged. He took in a breath, his already red cheeks reddening even further. He ducked his head, taking a step forward in line. "You never really look interested when you're here. You look bored. I didn't expect you to get it. Football is fun."

"It's boring," Gabby protested with a groan so loud Archie laughed. "You watch guys fight over a ball for hours and they hardly go anywhere in the first thirty minutes." She gestured vaguely toward the field. "And, sometimes, you score. After hours of mind-numbing helmet bashing, crotch thrusting, and ball busting someone actually scores."

"Well, it won't be Southside High, that's for sure," Archie agreed. He shrugged again, this time a more comfortable motion, his grin still on his face. "Football isn't bad. You just have to watch some more of it."

"So what do _you_ like about it so much?"

"Me?"

Gabby made a show of looking over her shoulder. "Who else am I talking to?" The answer hit her quickly. She could've been talking to anyone else. Probably _should_ have been. But she wasn't. She was talking to Archie, and surprisingly, was having a good time. If the smile on her face was any indication.

"Well, to me it's different," Archie said. "Different than any other game. The stakes are higher…you only play a few games per season so each other matters. Each game is unpredictable. Every time you wonder what's going to happen. Every game is important and because of that, it makes it so that you really don't know what's going to happen." He paused and added. "The feeling of having the ball leave your hands, in the perfect snap, and land perfectly where you wanted it to go…" he shook his head. "There's no other feeling like it."

"Oh." Gabby nodded slowly. "So…sort of like…in volleyball, where you get that point in, the winning point, just in the corner of out of bounds when you were sure you were going to miss it." Her smile widened at the memory of the championship winning game the year before.

"Exactly!" Archie agreed. "That was a good game, too."

"You were there?" Despite their winning season, volleyball wasn't the most popular sport in school. But, in many ways, Gabby enjoyed that. The pressure wasn't there. She didn't have to be Black Cherry. She could just be Gabby and knock the volleyballs over the net without having to wonder how she looked as she did it.

Archie flushed and looked away. "I was waiting for my dad to pick me up, it was raining."

"You don't have to blush." Gabby reached out and shoved him on the shoulder. "I know you went just to check out all the girls in their short-shorts. It's okay, you can admit it."

A laugh escaped Archie's lips. An honest laugh. A real laugh. One that Gabby hadn't heard too many times before and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy. Something erupted in her stomach, a light, airy feeling that made her giggle as well.

"If that were the case, I think more people would show up." His eyes flashed with mischief, turning away from her.

"Ouch. Who knew Archie Andrews could make a joke?"

"Compared to my dad's jokes, that was golden."

There was a sudden roaring from the crowd that whipped Archie's attention to the field. And, for a moment, he was transfixed. Eyes searching for the source of the sound, lips parted as he quickly took in the surprising tackle that'd happened. The turnover—or whatever—that'd been given to Riverdale High. (That is, if what Jason had told her about football had finally sunk in). Gabby watched him for a moment, the weight of her camera gently pushing against her chest when the wind blew once more. On a whim, Gabby took the camera into her hands, brought it up to her eye, adjusted the lens, then took the picture.

The sound of the camera shuttering must've grabbed Archie's attention, for he blinked and flashed Gabby a smile before facing forward again.

Gabby lowered her camera and studied the picture. Saw Archie in a way other people didn't see. Where he was completely himself, didn't have to put up a air to fit in with everyone around him. Wasn't worried about the jokes and teasing he got in response to his appearance. But she saw the way his eyes sparkled as he watched the field, excited for the start of the game and what was to happen next.

Gabby unbuttoned her jacket, suddenly feeling very warm.

If anyone asked about the picture, if anyone noticed, it anyone wondered why she was paying so much attention to Archie Andrews…she'd say it was for the Yearbook.

* * *

 **A/N:** It's been a while since I updated, took me longer than I meant it to (as per usual) and I'm sorry it's a short one to come back to. But we've got a few things here; some tension with Cheryl and Gabby and some shipping with Archie and Gabby.

Would you like some chapters from Archie's POV? He's the deuteragonist in _The War At Home_ so you'll absolutely see it there, but do you want to see some of it here as well or do you think it being solely from Gabby's being more interesting? I'm biased so…lol

Hope you liked it.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

Gabby groaned when she heard her cell phone started to buzz on her nightstand. She flipped to her other side and snuggled up into the massive pile of blankets on her bed. Worked hard to stay warm against the air conditioning that blasted through her room.

Her phone continued to ring, making her huff, eyes fluttering open. Gabby rolled back the other way and reached out, grabbing her phone before it skipped off the desk and crashed to the floor. Not that it mattered that it was her fourth phone since January, it wasn't _her_ fault that phones were being made to be broken easily nowadays. Who knew that a two-foot drop would completely shatter her phone screen? Another time Cheryl had taken it out of Gabby's hand and threw it out the car window when she felt that Gabby wasn't paying attention to her.

And twice she had kept it in harm's way during Volleyball practice, but that was just to prove to her dad that she really needed a new one. Nevertheless, Gabby held her phone tightly in her hand when she brought it to her ear, hard enough that the plastic pink case that covered it started to crack under the pressure.

She answered with a grouchy, "If you called me to say that your nail polish is the wrong color and that's your biggest crisis, I'm going to shoot you."

"I'd think I'd look a little funny in nail polish, don't you?" Jason replied calmly.

Gabby sighed, bringing her other hand up to rub her eyes. "Jay, you're as bad as Cheryl. Both of you hate when someone disturbs your 'beauty sleep' but you have no problem keeping everyone up from their own."

"Well, as Cheryl says, 'No one else can be as beautiful as a Blossom'," Jason replied.

"Good _night,_ Jason."

"I need your help."

"I figured that out a long time ago."

Jason chuckled to himself. "Well, therapy is something that my dear mother Blossom doesn't quite believe in. And don't even get started on my father." When he spoke again, his voice changed, making Gabby slowly wake up. "But, I didn't say I needed help. I said I need your help."

"What in the world could I possible help you with right now? In the middle of the night? When we're all supposed to be sleeping." She couldn't help but add. "Unless you're with Polly…"

Jason ignored her comment but said, "'It has to do with Poly, yes." Gabby sighed once more but didn't respond. "Come on Gabs, I said I'd keep your secret. And I have. Now I need you to keep mine."

"When have I ever asked you to keep a secret for me?" Heart hammering, Gabby slowly sat up in bed, running a hand through her hair. She brought up a hand and started to tap at her teeth, a nervous had bit she'd thought she'd given up years ago. Or, her parents had tired to break her out of by putting hot sauce on her fingernails.

"I'm sure there's something I can find out," Jason practically purred. Gabby got a mental image of him wearing that smug smile that it seemed that all the Blossoms were born with. It drove her insane as much it as it made everyone else fall at the Blossom's feet. "Or, at least, I can cask Archie about it. That's who you were staring at today, right?" He paused for a second. "But I know you're smarter than other people think you are."

Gabby froze. She tightened her grasp around her phone. Clamped her lips together. Gritted her teeth. Wondered what it was going to take so that she didn't have a Blossom hanging over her head all the time. "What do you want, Jason?"

"I just told you, I need your help."

"I meant, specifically."

"Wow, I'm surprised you can say that word. You didn't even have to sound it out." Gabby rolled her eyes. Jason took her silence in stride. _He probably knows he already has me,_ she thought. And knew she was right, when he continued with, "I need you meet me at Sweetwater River."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Yes, or else other people will see us. I really didn't think I needed to give you the play by play on how sneaking out works. I know you and Cheryl have had enough trips up to New York that your parents would be interested to find out."

"Fine." Gabby swung her legs to the floor and stood. She wiggled her toes in her thick carpet, hoped the tickling of the fibers to wake her up. "I'll meet you there." She hung up, took a step, then stopped, hanging her head. Her car was still in the shop. How was she going to get to Sweetwater River? She could hitchhike but…

 _"Are you insane?"_ Her father's voice whispered in her ear.

 _"I've trained you for nature, that's nothing,"_ Her mother's voice whispered in response.

Nevertheless, Gabby got dressed as quickly as she could, made sure her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, moving almost on autopilot. Cheryl's voice whispered in her ear, _"If you're going to do something even remotely physical, then a ponytail is a must. At least you'll have something interesting to play with when you're bored."_ Her voice wasn't nearly as loud as her parents' voices but she listened to it closer.

Gabby went down to the ground floor. The flickering light of the TV caught her attention and she walked to the living room. Her father was asleep on the couch, snoring softly, arms placed in his lap a loose blanket covering them. She reached over and pulled up the blanket, tucking him in before backing away. Left a note on the arm of his chair, just in case; _Went for a walk. Be back soon. -Gabby._

She left the house, started down the driveway and walked and walked and walked. The suburbs to the heart of Riverdale wasn't very far. But the richer houses, in the richer neighborhoods may as well have been an entirely other world. And yet, she continued to walk. She was strong, she could handle walking a little bit. And it wasn't like she wasn't ready for it; she'd done even worse when training for volleyball. (And even, _even_ worse when she and Cheryl had spent an entire day shopping, shopping, and more shoping.

It'd been fun.

It was always fun.

Cheryl was always fun…until she wasn't. Until something better came along. Until something more interesting caught her attention. A chill blew through the air, and unless that clear night was suddenly supposed to turn into an endless storm, Gabby was sure, in some way, Cheryl was able to hear her inner thoughts. Why else would it all suddenly become so cold? Why else would Gabby suddenly bring her arms to her chest and look over her shoulder to be sure no one was following her.

But that was silly, wasn't it? Riverdale was the town with pep! People slept with their homes unlocked. No one worried about people breaking in. People went in and out of each other's houses on social calls. They kept themselves separated from those that would be the wrong people to hang out with. There was the Northside and the Southside and things were supposed to stay that way. The darkness was supposed to stay on the other side of town.

And yet, it loomed over Gabby's head.

Thirty minutes later, Gabby finally arrived at Sweetwater River. She could hear the water rushing over the rocks; swirling and bubbling over the mud and branches that lined the sides and bottom of the biggest tourist attraction Riverdale had to offer. Every year, every summer, there were people that came all over to see Sweetwater River, to have picnics by the water side, to sail their boats, and bask in the blossoms the trees would rain down.

Gabby always thought it was strange, that people would come from all over to her tiny town just to see the same thing she saw every day. But looking at the water that night, she sort of understood. There was a mystery about it, a sore of allure that made it the best place for viewing the fireworks that were set off every 4th of July.

So much so that she jumped and nearly screamed when she heard the sound of a branch cracking behind her and her name whispered. Gabby whirled around to see Jason standing behind her, eyeing her with an expression of annoyance. "You knew I was coming, Gabs," he said dryly.

"Don't scare me like that, you _jerk!"_ Gabby reached out and punched him hard on the shoulder. Frowned when Jason barely took a step away from her, barely reacted to her punch. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"There's nothing scary out here," Jason replied in the same dry tone. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his letterman jacket, the hood brought up to cover his red hair, shadow hanging over his face. "Unless you thought Cheryl was going to show up."

A beat of silence stretched between the two. A silent understanding that they were doing something dangerous in keeping a secret from Cheryl. From one of the most important people in their lives. If Cheryl found out…

 _Gabby's skin tingled the moment Jason's hands landed on her shoulders, enticingly dragging down to her wrists. She wasn't sure how she knew it was Jason but could tell the moment he leaned over her shoulder._

 _Or maybe, intuitively, she knew from the way Archie glanced at her from across the hall, his eyebrows rising, dark eyes shifting over her face before moving just to the left. From the way they flickered downward for a second before he lifted his chin and gave a nod, backing slightly out of the lunch line, turning his attention to whatever Betty was telling him._

 _Jason's breath tickled in her ear, making butterflies erupt in a fiery volcano of, of what—guilt?—as he whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"_

 _Whatever a Blossom wants, a Blossom gets_ _, Gabby thought._

And Jason got what he wanted when he said he needed her to keep the secret about Polly. But, most importantly, keeping the secret from Cheryl. He didn't go into the reasons why, then and there, but they both knew it. Because Cheryl was…Cheryl. All the things that made her great, made her…not so great. And it was Polly, someone who Cheryl was always comparing herself to. And it was Jason, her best friend, he rother half, the biggest influence in her life. If there was something he wasn't telling her…who knew what else there was that wasn't being said.

"Cheryl doesn't like hiking," Gabby finally replied. She giggled quietly to herself. "She has all the outfits in the world for it, but unless she's practicing archery or working on her tan lines, the outdoors are not for her."

"I know, I know," Jason agreed. He rolled his eyes. "The amount of tantrums she'd throw whenever mother and father even thought about going out into our chalet for a getaway."

Gabby nodded. Got right to the point. "Why'd you bring me here, Jase? Why"d you want to meet here?"

Jason nodded. Once. Twice. Three times. Watched her as if sizing her. As if working to figure out what it was he was trying to say, was going to say. It was then that Gabby realized why she was so fidgety, why she couldn't hold still, why she was so nervous. It was because Jason was nervous. He dropped his façade of knowing everything he was going to do before he did it. He wasn't "Jason Blossom" he was just Jason…who had a kid on the way.

He was scared.

"I need you help me and Polly," he explained.

"Help you do what? Keep a secret? Believe me, I'm not going to say anything."

"No." Jason shook his head. He took a deep breath, looked her in the eye. "I need you to help me and Polly…get out or Riverdale."

* * *

Gabby yawned and reached up to rub at her eyes, then immediately slapped her palm back to her side. She couldn't rub her eyes. Couldn't ruin her makeup. Couldn't let anyone see the dark bags under her eyes, and the redness in the whites that she worked hard to cover up. Couldn't let anyone see her sweat. Couldn't let anyone know that she was up at all hours of the night, talking to Jason to come up with some sort of a half-baked plan to, maybe, get him out of Riverdale.

Then spent the rest of the night tossing and turning because…what if it worked? What was she going to say if someone asked what she knew about it? What about when the Blossoms asked? What was going to happen to Jason and Polly and the baby?

But she had to act as if everything was normal. So, Gabby held her head high and practiced her fixed stare in front of her, not paying attention to any of the faces that turned her way. Not caring for those that had to move out of her path while she continued forward.

She was ready for the day. Nothing was different. She was going to meet Cheryl in the student lounge and they'd gossip over their morning cups of coffee before going to their first class. Gabby went into the lounge, waving to Reggie as she went, and sat down on the biggest couch. She picked up her bag and started to root around for the school's camera, wanting to look over the photos from the football game.

Her peace and quiet was disturbed seconds later.

"Gabby."

She didn't have to look up to know it was Betty standing in front of her. She knew it from the ballet shoes that came to a stop in front of her. Only Betty would wear shoes that were so sweet. "I need the camera. It was supposed to have been returned to the _The Register_ this morning."

"Isn't that a bit dangerous? For you to take your mother's property and use it for your own personal gain?" Gabby pursed her lips, making a tsking sound as she shook her head. "What would Alice Cooper think, knowing her perfect daughter stole from her?" She purposefully paused for effect. "if she even notices."

Betty hugged.

"Last I checked, Betty, it's still morning," Gabby replied. She pointedly kept her head down, brought up a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, continued to shuttle through the photos. "A few more minutes isn't going to hurt." Gabby's lips curled at the corner, amused. "I just need to get a few more photos off then you can take it."

"More pictures of Reggie and Moose butting heads over and over again?" Betty replied. "I think the Yearbook is already filled enough with that sort of thing."

"And it'd be better filled with, what?" Gabby finally lifted her head. She casually swung the camera back and forth in her hand. "Your bright smiles at those…" she yawned. Perfect timing. "Those boring debates. What was the audience like last time? How were those crickets?"

Betty pressed her lips firmly together. She reached forward to grab the camera, then stopped. Her eyes shifted and she brought her hand back. Gabby glanced at her then at the camera and felt her blood run cold.

"What's that?" Betty asked.

Gabby stayed silent.

 _There was a sudden roaring from the crowd that whipped Archie's attention to the field. And, for a moment, he was transfixed. Eyes searching for the source of the sound, lips parted as he quickly took in the surprising tackle that'd happened. The turnover—or whatever—that'd been given to Riverdale High. (That is, if what Jason had told her about football had finally sunk in). Gabby watched him for a moment, the weight of her camera gently pushing against her chest when the wind blew once more. On a whim, Gabby took the camera into her hands, brought it up to her eye, adjusted the lens, then took the picture._

 _The sound of the camera shuttering must've grabbed Archie's attention, for he blinked and flashed Gabby a smile before facing forward again._

 _Gabby lowered her camera and studied the picture. Saw Archie in a way other people didn't see. Where he was completely himself, didn't have to put up a air to fit in with everyone around him. Wasn't worried about the jokes and teasing he got in response to his appearance. But she saw the way his eyes sparkled as he watched the field, excited for the start of the game and what was to happen next._

 _Gabby unbuttoned her jacket, suddenly feeling very warm._

 _If anyone asked about the picture, if anyone noticed, it anyone wondered why she was paying so much attention to Archie Andrews…she'd say it was for the Yearbook._

"Why do you have a picture of Archie?"

Gabby immediately came back to life and rolled her eyes. She tightened her grasp around the camera. "Because he was the football game," She said snootily. She couldn't help it, being around Betty always seemed to bring out that side of her, as it did for Betty when Gabby was around. "Why else would I have it?"

"That's what I'm asking you."

Gabby sighed, turned off the camera, and held it out toward Betty. "If you don't want the camera—"

"—You better not be doing something to him—" Betty interrupted. Gabby snorted. Both in surprise of the change in topic, and in offense. "Cause if you're going to do something to Archie with this," Betty insisted. "If you're going to _embarrass_ him—"

"—Oh, like I can embarrass him any more than you already do," Gabby shot back, finally tired of hearing Betty's constant babbling in her ear. "You talk _for_ him all the time. You defend him from everyone. If he wants to defend himself, let him defend himself." She waved her hands. "But why am I surprised? Betty Cooper; has to be in everyone's business. Has to save the world. Has to be the best at everything even though she's hopeless at just about everything she touches." She moved to step around Betty, but Betty moved to block her way.

Gabby sighed heavily, waiting for the lecture she was sure she was about to receive. You could never talk to Betty without getting some sort of lecture.

Betty's eyes narrowed slightly when she stepped in front of Gabby. Her blue eyes shifted over the latter's face, looking her up and down, as if unsure of who she was. Gabby simply folded her arms over her chest and stared back at Betty.

It was hard to believe they used to be friends.

* * *

 **A/N:** Ooh, so what's going on with Betty and Gabby? I've had that plotline for them in mind for a long time (no, it's not Archie that's tore them apart) and I'm glad that it's at least being shown here. I'm pretty excited for it. But, geez, Gabby's got a lot going on right now.

So, it's been a long time since I've updated and that's mostly due to the fact that I stopped watching Riverdale partway through season 2. To me, it became something I didn't enjoy as much but I still plan on finishing this story and _The War At Home_ which is going to be set entirely in season 1. So far, I have no plans to move forward after that.

Thank you for at least continuing to read along with what I've come up with.

Hope you liked it.

 **Cheers,**

 **-Riley**


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